The two-month education campaign is meant to inspire a new generation to give blood, it offers the first 100 verified donors a free t-shirt featuring sponsors.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, May 11, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Several cannabis industry organizations today announced they had joined forces to create “BudforBlood,” a public health education campaign designed to increase awareness of the critical blood shortage in the U.S. and inspire a new generation to become blood donors. On January 11th, the American Red Cross announced the first shortage in over a decade, which alarmed the crowd of caring plant medicine providers.

“While some types of medical care can wait, others can’t,” said Dr. Pampee Young, chief medical officer of the Red Cross at the beginning of the year. “Hospitals are still seeing accident victims, cancer patients, those with blood disorders like sickle cell disease, and individuals who are seriously ill who all need blood transfusions to live even as Omicron cases surge across the country. We’re doing everything we can to increase blood donations to ensure every patient can receive medical treatments without delay, but we cannot do it without more donors. We need the help of the American people.”

In addition to consumer education, the campaign is asking the cannabis industry and their customers to “just donate” and post a selfie of themselves doing so with the hashtag #budforblood The first 100 donors who also submit a selfie or other proof of donation via the project website (www.budforblood.com) will receive a free hemp t-shirt featuring sponsors who are underwriting the campaign. Participating sponsors to date include Abstrax, Budwiz, Cannaline, Jeeter, Push Delivery, Quiver Financial and Toasty Hemp Co.

BudforBlood was created by cannabis industry veteran Kristen Yoder, host of the CannaBS Detector podcast and founder of apparel brand Cynical Stoner.

“When I learned about the current blood shortage, I decided to donate for the first time, and it made me feel like a real hero knowing I was directly helping save lives,” said Yoder. “Cannabis consumer demographics align with those of a desired blood donor population, and cannabis use has no impact on donor eligibility, so it struck me to reach out to my peers in the industry with a goal to educate consumers about the huge impact they can make through donating blood.”

In addition to the commercial sponsors, Yoder has enrolled the participation of several media partners. That list includes Beard Brothers, Respect My Region, WeedWeek, LA Cannabis News, State of Cannabis, Ganjapreneur, Canivision, The Bluntness, Highly Capitalized, Cannigma and Vee, Traveling Canna Writer, Global Cannabinoid Research Center, and Nanobles Corporation.

Someone in the U.S. needs blood to help patients survive surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries every two seconds. The American Red Cross says the current blood shortage is due to a 10 percent decrease in blood donations since March 2020 and a 62 percent drop in college and high school blood drives due to the pandemic.

The Red Cross asks the country to roll up a sleeve to help ensure people receive the care they need. They've asked all that can make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. Still, Yoder has taken it one step further in her large community that's grown into a multi-billion dollar industry.

The need for blood is constant. However, only about three percent of age-eligible people donate blood yearly. Because cannabis consumption has no impact on donor eligibility, and consumers are mainly successful, educated, and health-conscious, they are highly likely to become blood donors. The cannabis industry, which continues to prove its value to state and local economies, comprises socially responsible professionals who recognize the importance of healthcare and safe access to medicine and want to give back.

BudforBlood is not affiliated with the American Red Cross or any specific blood donation organization. It is an independently created awareness initiative to help address the country's critical blood shortages through an online education campaign. It is incentivized with a free hemp t-shirt with proof of donation to the first 100 willing to give.

The BudforBlood campaign will run from May 10 to July 10, 2022. For more information and to get involved, visit www.budforblood.com or follow @budforblood on Instagram and use hashtags #budforblood, #giveblood, #justdonateblood, #stonersmakegreatdonors.

Those interested in further information on this drive for life should contact Tony Winders at tony@thewindersgroup.com or call 818-554-9236.

Mike Robinson
NANOBLES, Inc.
+1 8056179539
info@nanobles.com