Social Equity

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.

The Detroit, Michigan City Council has finally approved adult-use cannabis licensing measures after a lengthy and controversial challenge over previous residency provisions.

A new bill in New York would require multi-state cannabis operators to have a plan to invest in communities disproportionally affected by the war on drugs.

A new poll found that the majority of New York voters oppose prioritizing the state’s adult-use cannabis licenses for people previously convicted of a cannabis-related crime.

Arizona announced it will be holding its social equity drawing this April for the 26 adult-use cannabis licenses set aside for the program.

Tetra Lounge in Denver received the city’s first social equity cannabis hospitality license and intends to have a consumption lounge open for business by 4/20.

Illinois won a court order this week to begin issuing new cannabis industry licenses after years of delays; the state also simplified the application process to make social equity cannabis licenses more attainable for communities most affected by the drug war.

Chenae Bullock is Managing Director of Little Beach Harvest, a vertically integrated cannabis operation by the Shinnecock Indian Nation in New York in partnership with TILT Holdings Inc.

Applicants with prior cannabis-related offenses will receive New York’s first adult-use retail cannabis licenses.