Kristina Adduci Lopez is the CEO and founder of House of Puff, a women-owned and Latina-led company in the cannabis product space. She answered eight simple questions for NY Cannabis Insider’s “People to know” series.
What is your position and what do you/your company do in the cannabis industry?
I’m the CEO and Founder of House of Puff. House of Puff leverages the power of art to make cannabis consumption chic and easy. With expert curation, we work largely with women and BIPOC artists to translate high-culture aesthetics into products that elevate cannabis above any stigma. Women-owned and Latina-led, we also produce inclusive educational content that bridges the worlds of cannabis, art, and social justice.
How long have you worked in the cannabis space?
I first dipped my toes into the cannabis industry about five years ago. Then I fully transitioned from the art world into cannabis two and a half years ago.
What did you do before you were involved in the cannabis industry?
I started my career at Michael J. Fox in fundraising. I loved it, but left it to start my first entrepreneurial venture, an art media company called Art Zealous. It’s wonderful to bring both those skill sets to my work in cannabis.
What led you to the cannabis industry?
I came to the cannabis industry because of my own health journey. I was dealing with anxiety issues and kept hearing about the benefits of this magical plant. I decided in my late 20s to give it a try, and I’ve never looked back. Since becoming more immersed in the space, and learning about the sordid history of the plant, I make sure to educate myself and those around me on the criminalization of cannabis and how it disproportionately affects communities of color.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to get into the NY weed industry?
Don’t wait. Now’s the time to jump in. The cannabis industry needs professionals of all kinds. So look at what you’re already doing. Then, think about how you can adapt your existing skills to this space. Cannabis has lots of quirks that stem from its quasi-legal status right now. So, if you supplement your current skill set with knowledge about the plant and the regulations surrounding it, there are tremendous opportunities. But it’s not for the faint of heart. A lot of standard practices in other industries are disallowed in cannabis. So you have to be creative and persistent to be successful.
What do you think the NY cannabis ecosystem will look like in five years?
I think it will still be fairly messy as both legacy and legal spaces evolve. There’ll also be lots of testing and tweaking regulations — just like every other state has had to do before us. I’m optimistic that NY will prioritize marginalized communities by creating equal opportunities to benefit from the use and sales of cannabis.
Do you use cannabis? If so, what’s your favorite method (flower, dabs, edibles, tinctures, etc.), and why?
I’m a flower gal, preferably in the preroll form. But I do love to pop an edible as I’m winding down my day, especially right before a hot shower. *chefs kiss*