If you’re looking for online writing jobs, the cannabis industry may be one of the fastest growing markets for freelance writers.
Just how big of a niche market is the cannabis industry?
With more and more states opening the door to medicinal and recreational marijuana use, it’s an industry that’s expected to generate more than $10 billion in revenue this year, according to market data.
And that’s very good news if you’re a freelance writer.
Now there are growers, processors, sellers, dispensaries, cannabis equipment suppliers, tech companies, and product manufacturers competing for a piece of the pie.
There’s also a growing list of online writing jobs in the cannabis niche cropping up.
For example, this summer Entrepreneur magazine launched Green Entrepreneur to cover the business, technology and lifestyle aspects of the cannabis industry. Even Forbes closely follows the budding cannabis industry.
And these are just a few of the many places you can find online writing jobs in the cannabis niche. Check out these 15 cannabis markets for freelance writers looking to learn how to make money writing:
1. Big Buds
Big Buds is an authority pub for the cannabis industry, policy makers, growers and retailers, and users (medicinal and recreational).
“Our site covers reviews, interviews and features about cannabis,” says Big Buds Editor Josh Glazer. “But we are also looking for dedicated news and list writers.”
Got a story idea about cannabis growing and cultivation methods, medical research, legislation, or cannabis culture? Pitch with a query letter via email.
Pays: Competitive rates, per assignment
2. The Bold Italic
“We’re interested in what life is like within the subcultures that make San Francisco an eclectic city and how these trends affect the rest of the country,” says Bold Italic Editor Keith Spencer.
And that includes the city’s cannabis culture where marijuana has only been legal for recreational use in California since Jan. 1.
Pays: $50 and up, based on assignment
3. Cannabis Culture
Almost 20 years before Colorado became the first state in the U.S. to legalize marijuana for recreational use, Cannabis Culture cropped up as a voice to legalize marijuana around the world.
“We’re recognized as one of the best sources for information due to our highest-standards for journalism and news delivery about cannabis-related politics, activism, growing information, entertainment and more,” says Editor-in-Chief Jeremiah Vandermeer.
Pays: Based on assignment
4. Cannabis Now
Cannabis Now is one of just a handful of specialty magazines about the cannabis industry and culture sold in major bookstores, airports, and grocery-store chains. And it’s garnered a massive following of readers and subscribers in just eight years.
“Our goal is to enlighten, educate and entertain by providing [cannabis] information readers need to stay informed and on the cutting edge of industry innovations,” says Senior Editor Ellen Holland.
Pays: Competitive rates per assignment
5. Cannabis Tech
It wasn’t that long ago when cannabis growers operated behind closed doors with low-tech equipment and sold products discreetly.
But with more and more states legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, demand is up, and so is technology and innovation to meet those needs, says Cannabis Tech Publisher Christine Comatos.
“We serve enterprise decision-makers and users with the critical information they need to stay ahead of an evolving market,” says Comatos.
Got a story idea about B2B technology in the cannabis industry? Pitch your idea with a query via email.
Pays: Based on assignment
6. CAT Scientific
Ever wonder what the process looks like to make products like hemp oil, drinks, edibles, and topicals out of cannabis?
In today’s cannabis marketplace, companies like CAT Scientific design equipment for companies that manufacture cannabis products.
CAT Scientific Manager Steve Gold works closely with cannabis product manufacturers and runs the company’s blog written by freelancers who understand cannabis post-processing applications. Send an LOI and pitch ideas for blog posts, or get your LOI reviewed in the Freelance Writers Den first.
Pays: Based on assignment
7. The Daily Chronic
For the person who knows how to grow the perfect crop of cannabis, those green-thumb skills can pay an annual salary of up to $250,000. Oversee compliance for a growing operation or run a cannabis dispensary? Those jobs pay $40K to $100K a year.
How much money can you earn in the legal marijuana business? Did you know an estimated 14.6 percent of adults have used marijuana in the past year? These are just a few of the latest stories written by freelancers for The Daily Chronic about the business and culture of cannabis, says Editor Scott Jaeck.
Pays: Competitive rates per assignment
8. The Daily Leaf
What if there was a version of Groupon to find deals on marijuana products and services?
That’s what The Daily Leaf founders Andy Yashar and Stephen Gold created after marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Oregon in 2015. Check out their interview in Forbes.
In addition to connecting people with cannabis deals, The Daily Leaf works with freelancers to publish content about the cannabis industry in Oregon, including reviews about locally-made cannabis products, wholesalers, and dispensaries, in addition to reporting on local cannabis events.
Pays: Based on assignment
9. Dope Magazine
In the old-school world of marijuana, “dope” was just another name for the plant like “weed” and “pot.” But that changed when Dope Magazine was founded in 2011 as a niche magazine that features news and content about cannabis culture, business, and legalization.
Based on the magazine’s mission, D.O.P.E. stands for Defending Our Plant Everywhere, says Editor David Bailey.
Have an idea for a feature story, blog post, or opinion piece about cannabis entertainment, health and wellness, law and politics, or the cannabis lifestyle? Pitch an idea.
Pays: Up to $150 per assignment
10. Green Entrepreneur
Earlier this year, Entrepreneur magazine launched GreenEntrepreneur.com, to give readers that latest news about entrepreneurship, business, technology and lifestyle aspects of the cannabis industry.
“Rarely does a new industry explode with the exponential success that the legal marijuana trade has experienced,” Entrepreneur Media President Bill Shaw, said in a press release. Green Entrepreneur recently published a list of the Top 100 Cannabis Leaders in the industry.
If you want to write for Green Entrepreneur, study the guidelines and pitch a story idea about the cannabis industry via email with a query to Executive Editor Jonathan Small.
Pays: Up to $1.50 per word, based on assignment
11. High Times
Sean Cooley (yes, that’s his real name), is the director of content for High Times. “We use cannabis as a vehicle to cover news, politics, advocacy, entertainment, health and fitness, food and drink, travel, culture, and more.”
Recent stories include:
- Actress Kristen Bell on using cannabis
- Findings from a clinical trial that used cannabis to treat adults with autism
- The latest in marijuana legalization
- Tips for growing better cannabis crops
- Soda made with CBD oil, and much more
Have a story idea for High Times? Study the site content. Read the submission guidelines. And submit your story idea with a query to Cooley or the editor.
Pays: $0.40 per word
12. Leafly
Leafly started out as a resource to help medical marijuana patients learn more about different strains available to help treat various health conditions. But it’s evolved since then to serve a larger audience of recreational marijuana users, too.
“If you’re a writer or reporter and have a story you’d like to write, send me a pitch,” says Leafly Associate Editor Ben Adlin. Include a brief description of your proposed story for the news section, a tentative word count, and any relevant clips.
Pays: Based on assignment
13. Maximum Yield
Maximum Yield is a trade pub for the cannabis industry that provides tips, information, and updates on equipment and technology to improve growing and harvesting cannabis.
“We’re looking for writers with experience in the industry to help us in our mission,” says Associate Editor Cameron Maxwell.
Recent stories include tips for growing greenhouse cannabis, identifying and treating marijuana leaf problems, using hydroponic water systems to grow cannabis, and more.
Pays: Honorarium per assignment
14. NXT Alpha
Did you know serial entrepreneur and investor Gary Vaynerchuck recently acquired a 50 percent stake in the cannabis marketing company Green Street? He’s also been an early investor in companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Uber.
But if you’re going to invest in the cannabis industry, where do you get financial data and information to make informed decisions?
“We’re a financial news site focused on Canadian and U.S. cannabis public companies with a focus on quality journalism for financial investors,” says NXTalpha Editor Tony Zerucha. “We’re seeking writers to provide financial coverage of the emerging cannabis industry.”
Pitch a story idea or send a letter of introduction.
Pays: Based on assignment
15. Nugg
It’s no secret that recreational marijuana has received most of the buzz lately. It’s now legal in Washington, Massachusetts, Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington D.C.
But there’s an estimated 3.5 million people who get a prescription to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. And that’s the market Nugg serves, connecting patients with dispensaries and even facilitating doctor-patient telemedicine calls via NuggMD.
“Nugg is a trusted go-to resource for cannabis users and proponents,” says Nugg Co-founder and Marketing Director Alex Milligan. “Through our website, publications, and events we offer a vast body of cannabis-related content, trustworthy information, knowledge and resources to the cannabis community.”
Want to write about cannabis and medical marijuana for the Nugg blog? Check out the blog, study the guidelines, and pitch an idea to Milligan or Nugg Editor-in-Chief Emily Hois.
Pays: $0.07 to $0.10 per word based on assignment
Online writing jobs in the cannabis industry
If you’re looking for online writing jobs in the cannabis industry, there’s no shortage of sites, magazines, and businesses that need freelance writers. In the next 10 years, industry experts project legal cannabis sales to generate $57 billion annually worldwide.
And that means now is a great time to pitch cannabis story ideas to editors and reach out to marketing directors with letters of introduction to land more freelance work.
What cannabis markets for freelance writers do you recommend? Let’s discuss on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Evan Jensen is the blog editor for Make a Living Writing. When he’s not on a writing deadline, or catching up on emails, he’s training to run another 100-mile ultramarathon.
