SHANNA DROEGE
OWNER, BHANG OF CALIFORNIA
“I am just like everybody else; I am a mother, I am a wife, I am a business owner and I am in the cannabis industry.”
THE QUEEN BEE – This woman can run with a pack of men and come
out the alpha. Playfully known as “Queen,” Shanna Droege is the magnanimous female who has played an integral part in creating the international canna-chocolate empire that is Bhang. Shanna and her husband “Chief,” are the licensees of Bhang Chocolate for California, and have been working with the company since its infancy in 2010. Bhang offers high quality infused products.
She explained that cannabis is all that she has ever done. She grew up in Orange County and cannabis was something that her family was very open to. She then moved on to dispensaries. Shanna has owned, operated and consulted for between 16-18 dispensaries throughout her career.
Shanna first came across Bhang when then Sales Representative, now Washington state licensee, Jon Paul, walked into her dispensary with a brilliantly packaged edible. At the time, edibles were not on par to what we are used to now, and Shanna instantly gravitated to the company. They began working together, and Shanna began using her connections to introduce Bhang to the masses. By 2011, Shanna and her husband teamed up with Scott Van Rixel, Owner of Bhang, to handle distribution in California. In 2012, the Queen and her Chief, officially became a part of the Bhang family, as licensees. This meant that they would take over all distribution and production for all of California.
When I asked why she uses cannabis, Shanna mentioned that she has severe anxiety and insomnia, so sometimes she will vape indica to help; however, she had some valid remarks about that question, “I don’t really think there should have to be a reason as to why someone medicates. I don’t medicate during the day for the most part, especially with edibles, but take me to a BBQ where I can relax and sure, I’ll nibble on a chocolate bar or smoke. I do prefer to vape though, I think it is the cleanest way to smoke and more discreet. Basically if the time is right, I don’t think I need a reason use it.”
Shanna brought up a really great point, this is a plant, we shouldn’t have to be ashamed or need to have a reason to use it when we do. Now that we have states that are legal for adult use, and as long as people abide by the laws, they should not be made to feel as though they need a reason to use cannabis.
Bhang is one of the “corporate” companies in the cannabis industry and Shanna explained that the decision to setup a corporate structure was vital the success of Bhang today.
“Bhang is from the people; I was born and raised into the industry. Her legal team made sure that Bhang paid all taxes and advised them to take all existing “regulations” and go above them. For instance, “We triple test our products; first, at the time of extraction we test in-house for potency and contaminants. Then it goes to a 3rd party lab to be tested again for potency. Then we infuse the product and take one sample from each batch and send it back to the lab to be tested for potency and contaminants as well. This is where the industry is going.”
If you would like more information about Shanna or Bhang Chocolates please go to:
GotBhang.com
IG: @BhangBhang
Twitter: @BhangChocolate
Facebook: /BhangChocolate