Social Equity

The City of Oakland will hold its first cannabis social equity week this November with the goal of highlighting equity operators who have not had the same resources for marketing and exposure.

The mayor of St. Louis, Missouri has come out in opposition to adult-use cannabis legalization in the state, indicating that the amendment will create a “permanent exclusion” of minorities from the state’s cannabis industry.

San Diego, California has approved a social-equity program that includes fee waivers, start-up loans, and other business assistance.

Las Vegas city officials this week voted 5-1 in favor of allowing cannabis consumption lounges within city limits.

Denver city officials are set to consider making cannabis delivery licenses permanently exclusive to social equity applicants.

Illinois has awarded 185 conditional adult-use cannabis retail licenses, closing out its first round of the social equity license lottery.

A Missouri Democratic representative formed a coalition this week opposing the state’s cannabis legalization ballot measure over its lack of social equity measures, its proposed fines for smoking cannabis in public, and issues with its automatic expungement provisions.

Cannabis equity funding has all but dried up — unfortunately, it’s the small to midsize cannabis companies who will be suffering for it.

New York has opened the application process for conditional social equity retail licenses and nonprofit organizations that assist justice-involved individuals. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) launched Cannabis NYC this week, which will provide services and licensing assistance to the city’s cannabis social equity applicants.

Washington state officials are considering a points-based social equity licensing model that is preferential to individuals who were previously convicted of cannabis-related crimes.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed a package of cannabis industry reform bills which includes provisions for tax reforms, expungement, social equity, and changes to industry fees.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed legislation this week in partnership with city Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda seeking to establish city-level cannabis social equity licenses.

Illinois issued 149 conditional adult-use cannabis licenses on Sunday to social equity applicants; the licensees were selected through a lottery.

New York City’s Bronx Community Foundation and the Bronx Defenders have partnered to create the Bronx Cannabis Hub, a centralized effort to assist individuals most affected by cannabis prohibition. 

Connecticut has awarded 16 recipients the state’s first social equity commercial cannabis licenses; the licensees still have to pay a $3 million fee and pass a background check before receiving their final licenses. 

Colorado has announced the recipients of its first social equity grant funding generated from cannabis tax revenue.

NBA Hall of Famer Chris Webber’s Social Equity Impact Ventures, LLC has been selected to oversee New York’s $200 million Social Equity Investment Fund.

Cannabis for Black Lives, a group of cannabis companies supporting Black-led and adjacent organizations, has raised $170,000 over the last two years to aid communities impacted by the War on Drugs.

Alejandro Rodriguez is an Adjunct Professor at The Cannabis Law Clinic at the Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, which teaches students about cannabis history, law, and regulatory compliance.

Arizona selected recipients for the state’s 26 widely sought social equity cannabis licenses.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) wants to include $4.8 million in his Fiscal Year 2023 Executive Budget for cannabis businesses in communities most impacted by the war on drugs.

This editorial was contributed by Christine De La Rosa, co-founder and CEO of The People’s Ecosystem, a California-based and equity-focused multistate cannabis operator.

The Massachusetts Senate passed provisions to create a cannabis social equity fund, license social consumption spaces, and establish a commission to tackle stoned driving.