Cannabis – The Ultimate Disruption
Nov 9, 2020 / 4:50 PM EST
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How do you build a brand when it’s federally illegal? When we talk about “disruptors” there is possibly no other industry as a whole more “disruptive” than the cannabis industry. Through a patchwork of state-level regulations and laws, this industry has had to build itself through a web of complex – and dynamic – ecosystems that allow them to bring their products to market. Perhaps no one knows this better than Jim Belushi, founder (and farmer) of Belushi’s Farm. Find out what led this busy, successful jack-of-all-trades entertainer to turn to farming cannabis – and why it’s more than just his “next act.” Find out how he has built out his signature brands (Belushi’s Farm, Belushi’s Secret Stash, Captain Jack’s, Good Ugly Weed, and, of course, the Blues Brothers) and the bigger role cannabis can play in the world.
Jim Belushi is the founder of Belushi’s Farm cannabis, where his sprawling and spiritual 93 acres along the Rogue River plays home to a range of offerings—from Belushi’s Private Vault and Secret Stash, to Captain Jack’s Gulzar Afghanica, a rare strain from the Hindu Kush region that became known in the ‘70s as “The Smell of SNL.” Having suffered the loss of his brother John to an overdose and his own journey learning and healing through cultivating cannabis, Jim’s an outspoken proponent of the plant’s beneficial properties across a spectrum of uses. From enhancing joy and quality of life, mitigating trauma and managing pain, to a harm reduction approach and rebuttal of the opioid abuse epidemic, Jim advocates for patient rights and adult-use legalization while empowering craft farmers to thrive in economies of scale.
A seasoned Second City and Saturday Night Live alumni, Jim’s starred in a selection of critically acclaimed movies ranging from Trading Places to Wonder Wheel, working with famed directors like Oliver Stone, Roman Polanski, David Lynch and Michael Mann. He’s also served as an executive producer, music composer, director, book author, and Broadway star. His own television show According to Jim aired for 182 episodes during eight seasons with the family favorite launching into off-net syndication. Along with Larry Joe Campbell and other talented Second City alum, Jim Belushi and the Board of Comedy perform improv sketch comedy at colleges, clubs, performing arts centers and venues nationwide. And, together with Dan Aykroyd, Jim tours the globe as Brother Zee of the iconic Blues Brothers. Additionally, Jim headlines his own music group The Sacred Hearts, which is the official house band for the House of Blues brand of venues.
With 42 years in the public eye and Jim’s professional career further inspired by the beauty and healing power of cannabis, Jim’s actively engaged in several projects benefiting the region around Belushi’s Farm. In Medford, Jim is helping reconstruct the historic Holly Theater to bring the 1930s Spanish Colonial movie palace back to life as Southern Oregon’s largest indoor concert venue. In Eagle Point, Jim’s assisting with the reconstruction of The Butte Creek Mill, destroyed in a 2016 electrical fire, to preserve its heritage, build community, and improve the environment. And where Jim looks to have the most profound impact, he’s working vigorously with scientists and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and Portland City Council to create an opioid trade program where Veterans, the infirmed, downtrodden and addicted can have a place for healing for low to no cost.
In the words of Dan Aykroyd, “if John had been a pothead, he’d still be alive today.”
Anne G. Donohoe is a Managing Director at KCSA Strategic Communications. She helped launch the KCSA Cannabis Practice nearly seven years ago and leads the cannabis team in the Los Angeles office. Her voice can be heard on The Green Rush, a three- year old podcast about the business of cannabis, which she not only hosts but co-created and co-produces. In 2019, she was named one of the top 100 Women in Weed by Green Market Report.