One Man’s Pursuit of Leveling the Cannabis Playing Field in Arizona

Shansan “Chance” Chambers, an Arizona-based cannabis entrepreneur with more than seven years in the Cannabis Industry and the owner and founder of 420 Ultimate Tours and Mwisho (Swahili for ultimate) Cannabis Products, has taken another step to level the business playing field. 

With humble roots in Phoenix and raised by his grandmother in Phoenix, Chance became the family’s first college graduate at Grand Canyon University and first entered the cannabis industry after learning his grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Inspired by the need for more senior-driven personal care, he began working to provide education and a means of entry for minorities. 

Five years later, Chambers has now launched the Arizona Black Cannabis Trade Association (ABCTA) to provide cannabis industry resources for a minority community previously targeted by the war on drugs in the U.S. 

The ABCTA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the goal of eliminating racial disparities in the Arizona cannabis industry by providing education, empowerment tools, and equity for the black community.

“It all starts with one person who wants to make a difference. I have made the conscious effort in any business venture I dive into to always make sure I am positively impacting the community and do all I can to assist people in need,” Chambers said. 

The nonprofit’s educational resources include an eight-course program beginning with Cannabis History 101 and concluding with How to Invest in the Cannabis Industry. The business modules are designed to teach attendees about the industry, the cannabis plant, and how to start a plant-touching operation or ancillary business.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) recently announced the winners of the coveted 26 social equity licenses. With predatory practices reported and ongoing criticism of the social equity program rules, Chambers designed the ABCTA to help social equity applicants, and winners receive the best cannabis consulting, guidance and resources.

To learn more about the ABCTA, visit www.arizonablackcannabis.org or follow @arizonablackcannabis.