Wana Brands CEO Donates $3 Million To Johns Hopkins University For Cannabis & Psychedelic Research

There’s more to your Wana gummies. They’re delicious, effective, and the brand behind them is making some serious philanthropic moves.

Wana Brands just announced their largest donation yet—one that will enormously benefit our industry. CEO and founder of Wana Brands, Nancy Whiteman, is donating a generous $3 million to Johns Hopkins University for extensive research on cannabis and psychedelic medicine.

Although Wana’s gummies are a major focus, the brand is just as eager to promote social equity and philanthropy by targeting various issues, including:

• Racial justice within the industry
• LGBTQIA+ rights
• Law reform
• Expunging criminal records of those with cannabis offenses
• Food security
• Domestic violence
• Housing
• Mental Health

Regarding that last point, Whiteman expressed how Wana’s recent donation to support cannabis and psychedelic medicine is “close to [her] heart,” adding that Johns Hopkins’ dedication to such research aligns with Wana’s focus on mental health.

See how Wana’s donation of $3 million will be used at Johns Hopkins University below.

$2 Million: Two-thirds of Wana’s donation will go to the Johns Hopkins University Cannabis Science Laboratory, led by professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences Ryan Gregory Vandrey. Wana’s donation will help his team research the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis for autism.

In an email to MarketWatch, Vandrey explained this is “the first philanthropic gift to the JHU Cannabis Science Laboratory,” and they deeply appreciate the Wana Brands Foundation for allowing them to expand their work.

$1 Million: One-third of Wana’s donation will go toward the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.

Currently, the Wana Brands Foundation will continue exploring new opportunities to donate to causes that benefit our industry as a whole. The brand is eager to ensure they’re making significant impacts at the local and national scale.

For more information about Wana Brands, visit their website at wanabrands.com.