Oakland, CA--Kiva announced in a press release the official launch of the Kiva Cares Project, a first-of-its-kind corporate commitment and full-service donation program that will provide all Out of Spec products and products with less than 30 days till BBD date/COA expiration date to California Medical patients in need of these essential products.
Kiva and the Kiva Cares Project aim to establish a new industry standard to prevent cannabis waste, offer quality cannabis products to those who need them most, and compel other cannabis brands across the country to follow suit. Following this California market debut, expansion plans to roll out Kiva Cares nationally are imminent.
Longtime Kiva employee and the brand's Quality and Compliance Manager, Erika Osueke, started The Kiva Cares Project after learning how much cannabis product is wasted each year due to packaging defects, being under or over potency, or are soon to expire- despite the fact they are high-quality products that are viable for use and can make a profound difference to medical consumers who lack access and affordability. With the launch of the Kiva Cares Project, Kiva Confections aims no less than to revolutionize the industry.
[Image via Kiva Confections]
"The cannabis industry has the power and potential to serve public health in a way that is both unique and revolutionary,'' said Osueke in the press release. "We are only scratching the surface of scaling the kind of life-changing impact cannabis can have for those consumers who need it most."
Under Kiva's guidance and framework, a product donation of this size and scale was made possible by a growing network of organizations including Weed for Warriors, Sweetleaf Collective, Americans for Safe Access, Los Angeles NORML, and ReCompass who will partner with select California dispensaries to distribute the product to those in need. Anresco Laboratories and SC Labs are also participating laboratories donating their testing services to the cause.
"Sweetleaf and Team Compassion are excited to be a part of the Kiva Cares Project," said Joe Sweetleaf, Founder of Sweetleaf Collective, in the press release. "These collective industry efforts will undoubtedly help thousands of veterans and patients access $1.75 million worth of free medical cannabis products through the Kiva Cares Project. Together we are saving and transforming lives."
"SB34 is about legal cannabis access for patients. Very simply, without cannabis access, California veteran and non-veteran patients would be forced to medicate with pharmaceuticals that have FDA stated risk of addiction, overdose, death and suicidal ideation," said Sean Kiernan, CEO at Weed for Warriors, in the release. "Cannabis and SB34 is providing a safer alternative and therefore saving lives."
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