In the hinterlands of central Massachusetts, Seun Adedeji works the crowd with an evangelist’s flair. “We’re here to get you guys medicated and elevated,” he says. At his store’s grand opening this month, he and his customers—some in khakis and leaning on canes, others in psychedelic T-shirts and ripped jeans—greet each other with pandemic-friendly elbow […]
Social Equity
Marijuana Licenses for Low-Income Entrepreneurs Closer to Reality
Colorado marijuana regulators are closer to creating new business licenses for eligible entrepreneurs who lack funding, with the micro-license applications expected to become available early next year. Securing a marijuana license has proven to be a costly, lengthy venture for a startup business in Colorado, with most licensing opportunities in Denver and other metro communities drying […]
Known Unknowns In LA’s Cannabis Social Equity Amendment
This summer, the LA Municipal Code was changed decisively (the “Amendment”); shifting power power in a cannabis social equity company to the equity-shareholder (“Equity Individual”). These changes will have a significant impact on LA’s social equity licensing, and they also raise new question. So it’s important applicants and operators understand what has changed, what’s the […]
CannabisForJustice.com launches to foster social justice efforts in the cannabis industry
PRESS RELEASE Boulder, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2020)—As cannabis companies seek out ways to promote social equality and justice, a new resource CannabisForJustice.com has launched to provide a compendium of trusted resources designed for companies in the cannabis industry seeking to do more. The website provides an expansive collection of trustworthy and expert resources that address […]
Lightshade Supports Expungement Efforts in Denver
PRESS RELEASE No one should have criminal convictions on their record for low-level cannabis crimes DENVER (July 23, 2020)–Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill in June aimed at making Colorado’s cannabis industry more accessible to people of color, as well as those who have been convicted of cannabis crimes that are no longer on […]
Sustaining Equity through Economic Uncertainty
by Evelyn LaChapelle Black Lives Matter is a powerful movement against the persistent structural racism endured by Black people in American society. The protests that have swept every state in the country have made it crystal clear that anti-racism and social change are active, not passive, responsibilities. In addition to its call for individuals to […]
Addressing Systemic Racism and Barriers to Entry in the Cannabis Industry
By Naina Kamath While in recent years the main critique of the legal cannabis industry has revolved around its profitability despite high drug-related incarceration rates, a new focus, inspired in part by the Black Lives Matter movement, has been placed on the underrepresentation of Black business owners and executives in the legal cannabis industry. This […]
A Note From Dixie Brands CEO, Chuck Smith
The Dixie Elixirs brand was founded over 10 years ago as a pioneer in the cannabis industry. Recently, the national conversation about racism and injustice has focused our attention to the pain the Dixie name can cause due to the historical context of the word. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Black community, and […]
California Cannabis Equity Grants Program Provides $30 Million in Grant Funding for Local Jurisdictions
PRESS RELEASE Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), in partnership with the Bureau of Cannabis Control, announced $30 million in grant funding through the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions. The program focuses on the inclusion and support of individuals in California’s legal cannabis marketplace who are from communities negatively […]
