Sue Taylor, aka Mama Sue, is the Mother Teresa of cannabis. The first Black woman to open a dispensary in Berkeley, she is a gift that keeps on giving.

In 2020, about one in six people in the United States were aged 65 and over. This nearly 20% demographic inspired Mama Sue to begin formulating her tinctures and to expand her outreach to the senior community. Mama’s message: optimism is the light of aging, and we must remember our own selfworth and role as creators. She walks the walk. Years ago, she was deemed permanently disabled, and she knew there had to be other ways to heal her body. Thanks to her own Mama Sue Wellness California-grown, high-dose CBD tinctures, she has completely healed herself. “Everybody needs to find what best works for them,” she noted.

Mama Sue’s son and daughter-inlaw presented the idea of opening a dispensary to her when cannabis was only available medicinally in 2012. Although cannabis was never part of Mama Sue’s life prior to this, it was an opportunity to fulfill her lifelong dream of opening a spiritual wellness center that focused on universal laws and principles. “Any way to heal the body without taking a pill.” She now offers you three high-CBD, all-natural tinctures: Sleep, Relief, and Everyday Wellness.

The tinctures aren’t just for seniors— everyone can benefit from them, either by rubbing it into the affected area or taking it sublingually. It absorbs within fifteen seconds. “They’re easy to travel with, smoke-free, and full-spectrum for maximum benefits,” she said. “I want to bring people back to their true selves, to help them realize who they truly came on this Earth to be.”

Mama Sue beat out 12 other applicants who were more experienced in the cannabis space with her genuine and sincere dedication to underrepresented communities. She has since partnered with Glass House Farms, a partnership that has enabled her to expand on her message of health, wellness, and happiness by providing free education to veterans and seniors, and giving back to the community in the process. “I look beyond appearances, I look for the gift,” Mama says, “and I trust the process of life.”

MamaSueWellness.com

2700 BC: Chinese pharmacopeia Pen-Ts’ao Ching recommended CBD for more than 100 conditions, including joint pain and malaria.

1700 BC: Indian literature references the medicinal use of CBD oil.

1563: Portuguese physician Garcia de Orta observed that when his servants ingested CBD oil, they were “very happy,” and “craved food.”

1839: Irish physician William O’Shaughnessy visits India and encounters alcohol-based cannabis/CBD tinctures. They became a common over-the-counter treatment in Europe for conditions including asthma, gonorrhea, rheumatism, stomach pain, migraines, inflammation, and tetanus.

1850: Queen Victoria is prescribed CBD tinctures for menstrual pain.

1940: Dr. Roger Adams and his team at the University of Illinois successfully isolate cannabidiol (CBD).

1963: Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, an Israeli scientist, figures out the chemical structure of CBD. This breakthrough helps researchers understand how the compound interacts with the body.

1988: Dr. Allyn Howlett and William Devane discover the first cannabinoid receptor in a rat’s brain. These receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a crucial role in our overall health.

1990: Scientists discover the remaining parts of the ECS: the second cannabinoid receptor and the two endocannabinoids our bodies make.

2013: The story of Charlotte Figi, a girl with intractable epilepsy, popularizes CBD thanks to a CNN documentary.

2014-17: CBD tincture companies Charlotte’s Web, PLUSCBD, and Nuleaf Naturals launch.

2018: Farm Bill legalizes hemp federally, fueling CBD industry growth. The same year, FDA approves Epidiolex, the first CBD drug.