Highly Kosher Professionals: Luna Stower

JIW: How would you describe your Jewish identity? How do you incorporate Judaism into your life and how does it play a role in your life?

Luna: My Jewish identity is cultural, ancestral, and values-driven more than strictly religious. Judaism for me is about questioning authority, protecting the vulnerable, and showing up for community. That through-line of justice, education, and debate is something I carry everywhere.

I grew up around strong women, storytelling, food, humor, and the idea that you leave the world better than you found it. That ethos is very Jewish to me. Tikkun olam, repairing the world, shows up in how I approach my work, my activism, and the communities I advocate for.

In practice it looks simple. Shabbat dinners with friends and family when life allows. Jewish holidays. Supporting Jewish community spaces. And honestly a lot of arguing over ideas, which is basically a sacred Jewish tradition.

It also informs my politics. Jewish history teaches you what happens when people are scapegoated, dehumanized, and stripped of rights. That awareness shapes how I move through the world and why I’m outspoken about protecting marginalized communities.

So it’s less about ritual perfection and more about values. Curiosity. Justice. Humor. Resilience.

JIW: What’s your cannabis origin story? How did you first get started in the cannabis industry? What were the most valuable skills you learned about working in cannabis when first starting out?

Luna: Cannabis has been part of my life since the 90s. I was a teenager in Northern California during the early medical cannabis movement, so the plant wasn’t an abstract idea. It was medicine, community, and survival for a lot of people. I started growing, sharing, and learning long before it was legal. My grandmother used cannabis medicinally, and that shaped how I saw the plant. It wasn’t about getting high. It was about care.

Professionally I entered the regulated industry in 2014 as employee number one at Jetty Extracts. At the time California didn’t even have a licensing system yet. We were building airplanes while flying them.

The early years taught me a few critical skills:

• Adaptability – Regulations changed constantly. If you couldn’t pivot quickly you didn’t survive.

• Relationship building – Cannabis runs on trust and reputation. Your network is everything.

• Education – Consumers were confused and regulators were learning. Teaching became central to everything I do.

• Integrity under chaos – When markets are messy, your values become your compass.

Those lessons shaped my career. They’re also why I care so deeply about protecting legacy voices and cultural history in the industry.

JIW: As someone who’s worked in sales and marketing for a variety of companies, what are some universally successful sales/marketing strategies that you’ve utilized?

Luna: The biggest lesson is simple: authenticity beats tactics.

A few strategies consistently work across industries:

• Education firstPeople buy when they understand what you’re offering. Especially in cannabis, education is the most powerful marketing tool.

• Story over hypeConsumers connect to origin stories, farmers, founders, and real people. Corporate buzzwords don’t build loyalty.

• Community relationshipsThe best marketing often happens offline. Budtenders, retailers, and grassroots networks move culture faster than paid ads.

• Consistency of valuesBrands that stand for something meaningful outperform those chasing trends. Integrity compounds over time.

• Long-term reputation buildingShort-term sales tactics burn trust. Sustainable brands focus on credibility, not just quarterly numbers.

I’ve always believed the strongest strategy is simple: treat people with respect, tell the truth about your product, and deliver real value.

JIW: What advantages do you think West Coast cannabis brands and markets have over other regions of the cannabis industry?

Luna: History. The West Coast, especially California, Oregon, and Northern California’s Emerald Triangle, carries decades of cultivation knowledge and cultural leadership. That legacy matters.

A few key advantages:

• Genetics and cultivation expertise developed over generations

• Deep cultural credibility tied to the original medical movement

• Sophisticated consumers who understand quality, terpenes, and cultivation methods

• Innovation cycles that tend to start on the West Coast before spreading nationally

That said, other markets are catching up quickly. States like Michigan, Oklahoma, and Missouri have incredibly dynamic operators.

What the West Coast still holds is cultural authorship. Much of the global cannabis aesthetic, language, and product innovation started there.

JIW: As someone who’s worked in and with the cannabis industry in a variety of roles, how do you envision the federal rescheduling of cannabis changing the overall industry?

Luna: Rescheduling will change the financial mechanics of the industry more than the culture.

The biggest immediate shift would be the removal of 280E, which currently prevents cannabis companies from deducting normal business expenses. That alone could dramatically improve profitability for many operators.

Other likely impacts:

• Greater institutional investment entering the market

• Improved banking access

• More consolidation and acquisitions

• Increased corporate participation

The upside is financial stability and normalization.

The risk is corporate capture. When large capital floods in, smaller legacy operators often get pushed out. So the real question isn’t just rescheduling. It’s governance. Who shapes the rules? Who benefits from legalization? If the industry wants to stay true to its roots, the next phase has to intentionally protect small farmers, independent brands, and the communities that carried this movement for decades.

Luna Stower is an industry ambassador, impact driven brand architect, and cause-led strategist with soul. Raised in the heart of medical cannabis in Oakland, California, she's an educator with a Master’s in Teaching + California State Teaching Credential from Univ. of SF and Bachelor of Arts from UC Santa Cruz. Grounded in 25+ years in herbal wellness and CPG spaces since pre-regulation days, Luna has helped key players rise, scale, and thrive in over-regulated markets.