Social Equity

Colorado’s governor has signed legislation addressing social equity concerns in the cannabis industry — the new law allows for additional low-level cannabis possession pardons and sets aside business licenses for social equity applicants.

Advocates have published a rebuke to a recent article released by MG Retailer, calling it an “irresponsible” representation of social equity efforts in the cannabis space.

New cannabis licensing and social equity recommendations from the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulations are under consideration today by the City Council.

Colorado lawmakers have approved legislation for social equity cannabis licensing and which gives the governor power to expunge low-level cannabis convictions from before the state legalized in 2012.

Illinois officials say the state is almost ready to begin awarding social equity cannabis licenses after Gov. J.B. Pritzker suspended the process in late April due to the pandemic-prompted shutdown.

Method Man is launching a cannabis business venture that will prioritize elevating entrepreneurs of color in the space.

Cannabis activists in Massachusetts are spreading a petition that calls for repealing a recent change to the state’s cannabis laws that set the ownership threshold for social equity applicants at just 10 percent.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois Gov. Pritzker has indefinitely pushed back the date for awarding the state’s social equity cannabis licenses.

California officials from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development are disbursing some $30 million in grant funding for local governments to fund low and no-interest loans for social equity cannabis operators.

Washington state lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk that would implement a social equity program for the state’s cannabis industry.

Boston’s first cannabis dispensary licensed for adult-use sales has opened for business.

A hearing in Connecticut yesterday gave state officials, agencies, and stakeholders a chance to weigh in about the state’s governor-backed legalization bill.

The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts is petitioning to block a previous court ruling that would force officials to license non-equity cannabis businesses.

A social equity bill in Washington that would also unlock out-of-state investments for the adult-use cannabis industry has received pushback from some industry advocates.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo renewed his pledge to legalize cannabis during his 2020 State of the State address this week.

Cresco Labs in Chicago has opened the application period for the company’s community business incubator program called SEED, or Social Equity & Education Development.

Labor unions have identified the cannabis industry as an opportunity to boost membership and are pushing for progressive cannabis reforms that emphasize equity and fair labor practices.

An upcoming San Francisco dispensary has received the city’s first social equity cannabis business license; the shop is expected to open in the city’s Castro District before the end of the year.

Evanston, Illinois has announced a plan to leverage adult-use cannabis taxes to provide financial assistance for minority communities who were most adversely affected by drug war policies.

As the first piece of federal legislation that would end cannabis prohibition to make it through committee, the MORE Act deserves a closer look; unfortunately, the bill is expected to be dead on arrival if it ever reaches the Senate.

Los Angeles’ latest cannabis retail licensing round was thrown into turmoil this week after City Council President Herb Wesson called on regulators to stop issuing licenses and to launch an independent audit of the system.

Cannabis regulators in Maryland plan to hire private firms to investigate the state’s licensing review process and to verify information contained in the applications submitted by high-ranking businesses.

New Mexico’s adult-use legalization task force has handed in its final report to the governor; the report suggests low-level expungement policies and predicts up to $620 million in annual cannabis sales after five years.

Massachusetts regulators voted 4-1 in favor of home delivery and social consumption rules; licenses for the two new business types will be made available first to social equity and economic empowerment applicants.