Massachusetts has had a rocky history with cannabis. It was the very first state to restrict marijuana access all the way back in 1911, and it wasn’t for another 100 years (almost exactly!) that the use of cannabis turned a corner in the state.
While minor possession was decriminalized in 2008 and medical use permitted in 2012, it wasn’t until 2016 that recreational marijuana was opened to the public in Massachusetts. Once this happened, the state faced a new challenge: the development of responsible, quality dispensaries.
This is where Pure Oasis stepped in, changing the local landscape in Boston. Now, after years of hard work and community outreach, we are proud to celebrate the third anniversary of our founding! As a Black-owned company, we have a lot of important work to do in our Boston community. Here’s how we got started and ended up where we are now.
November 8, 2016 was an historic date—the day that the public of Massachusetts voted on ballot initiative Question 4, legalizing recreational marijuana. As of December 15 that year, recreational cannabis became legal to possess and even grow in the home.
However, it wasn’t until July 2018 that dispensaries were permitted to start selling, and this was when Pure Oasis co-founders Kobe Evans and Kevin Hart knew they had a job to do.
The Black and minority communities have always had a unique and involved relationship with marijuana, dating back hundreds of years to its origin outside the United States. Thus, Pure Oasis opened its doors as the first minority-owned dispensary on the entire east coast.
Kevin and Kobe wanted to make an impact in their local community, increase representation and accessibility and make cannabis products available to anyone—even those with little to no experience in the hobby.
With his experience as the former president of the National Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, Kobe brought his knowledge to the table to work alongside Kevin and create the bustling, coffee-shop-like atmosphere that people now know as Pure Oasis.
At Pure Oasis, we are proud of the community and space we have cultivated—an accessible location for anyone, no matter their age, ethnicity or experience level—to enjoy cannabis products in an informed environment. We love to help people identify the best products for their goals, whether that’s stress relief, energizing effects or something else entirely.
We stock cannabis products of all types and strains, including both Sativa and Indica varieties as well as hybrids. Edibles, vapes, pre-rolls, concentrates and more are all available to suit as many lifestyles as possible.
Our staff are knowledgeable and eager to help anyone who comes through our door—but we don’t limit ourselves to helping only our customers. Pure Oasis also regularly turns its attention to the community at large, searching for ways to help and empower.
As a locally owned and operated dispensary, Pure Oasis believes that we owe a duty to our community to improve what we have and empower people—especially minorities—to thrive. Because of this, we regularly dedicate time and finances toward the improvements we can make.
We have hosted expungement clinics for free in partnership with the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and the City of Boston to teach people how to seal or expunge their CORI (criminal offender record information) now that cannabis possession and recreational use are legal.
We also offer a $2500 college scholarship to an individual in the community going to a local law school. We are only able to do this thanks to the success we have seen from our local customers, and we are proud to pay this goodwill forward.
Ibrahim Bah was the most recent winner of Pure Oasis’ scholarship award. He intends to study at the Boston College Law School and expressed that he found it difficult to identify others who understood his uniquely challenging experience growing up. He looks forward to supporting future change in his community, and Pure Oasis is excited to help him achieve that goal.
If you’ve been enjoying cannabis for years—or if this is your first time—Pure Oasis is ready to help you achieve your goals. We enjoy getting to know our local community, including helping you determine which products are right for you, how to begin and how to stay safe.
Even if you’re far from new to the cannabis hobby, we’ve got recommendations for something new that you might enjoy. Reach out online or stop by Pure Oasis in-person to learn more about the many ways we impact our community or to purchase high-quality cannabis products while supporting a minority-owned dispensary in Boston.
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