Norbert Pickett

Norbert Pickett is the Proprietor, President and CEO of DC Holistic Wellness, dba Cannabliss, a Washington, DC, based Public Benefit Corporation that provides pharmaceutical grade cannabinoid therapies to patients. Mr Pickett is the first black man to solely own and operate a medical cannabis dispensary in Washington, DC, and possibly the United States.  Cannabliss was the first dispensary in Washington, DC, to unionize with the UFCW.

Following a long career as a professional sports marketing professional (working with professional teams in the NBA, the NHL, the WNBA, and the NFL), Mr. Pickett was forced to retire due to an accident that left him permanently disabled.  During his recovery, THC and CBD helped relieve his pain and eliminate opioid pain relievers.  It also gave him a new objective--to provide other patients with cannabis at a low cost to give them a better quality of life.

Mr. Pickett and other dispensary and cultivation owners work with legislators and regulators to promote development of the regulatory framework for all aspects of the cannabis industry, including testing facilities, adult use cannabis, medical cannabis, hemp, health and beauty supplies, delivery, and being designated as an “essential” business during COVID-19,. He also founded Patients For Safe Access, a non-profit organization that advocates on the behalf of patients to have access to safe cannabis and address any issues that patients might experience in the marketplace.

Mr. Pickett graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  He has been a featured guest speaker on diversity within the cannabis industry on numerous shows.