EXCLUSIVE: How Isiah Thomas Is Making An ESG Play With Cannabis

When former President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” Isiah Thomas said he wanted to do something about it.

Thomas is the CEO and chairman of One World Products Inc OWPC, a hemp and cannabis company that grows its product in Colombia, and he told the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference on Wednesday his route to helping the environment is by developing hemp as a means of reducing and replacing the use of plastic.

“To me, that is life-changing. [It's] an opportunity not only to impact and change lives today, but also down the road,” he said.

Replacing Plastics With Hemp: One World Products now works closely with the auto industry in the town where Thomas made his name — he mentioned Ford Motor Company F, General Motors Company GM and Stellantis NV STLA — as the “Big Three” begin to remove plastics from their vehicles.

By replacing plastics with industrial hemp, the automakers are shrinking their carbon footprints, the legendary point guard said.

Related Link: EXCLUSIVE: Isiah Thomas' One World Products Partners With Afro-Colombian Association To Advance Cannabis, Hemp Businesses

One World’s Earthy Approach To Cannabis: Thomas, who also imports the Cheurlin Champagne brand, said One World Products has licensing on all sides of the business: low THC, high THC, non-THC and CBD and CBG.

The company elected to cultivate cannabis in Colombia in what he said is a “bet on the sun, soil and indigenous growers and farmers who work with the plant.”

The company looked at the locations that have “equatorial benefits,” he said.

“You can turn the land over three times a year.”

Isiah Thomas speaks at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Wednesday in Miami Beach. Photo by Dez Smith.