The Future of Social Equity and Interstate Commerce with Mark Slaugh from NCIA’s DEI Committee today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice. CEO and owner of iComply, Mark works in the specialist sector of compliance for the medical, retail, and hemp industries and has over 13 years of experience in cannabis industry development, consulting, and operational compliance and over 22 years experience in regulations and risk management. He is a qualified expert witness on cannabis compliance and regulations in Colorado. iComply provides operational compliance services and validation of over 200 cultivation, manufacturing and processing, and dispensing facilities since 2011, and iComply consults for a variety of communities, organizations, and governments.

We dive into the intersection of DEI issues and how interstate commerce plays into that. First, we define what interstate commerce is and why the industry as a whole wants to achieve this. We talk about how social equity licensees and operators going to be impacted when federal legalization finally happens and we have some form of interstate commerce available to the cannabis industry. So currently in our 36 states with legal medical cannabis and 18 with adult use, most if not all have some form of social equity program giving black and brown business owners more equality in our industry. We talk about what’s working so far currently, as well as where it falls short.

Mark Slaugh is a leading niche asset for the dynamic cannabis market worldwide. His innovative work in cannabis compliance, regulatory affairs, policy monitoring, political reform, and social justice reflects an extensive understanding of cannabis, its benefits, and its social transformation from illicit “vice” to a legal substance under licensing and regulation. Mark progressively works to move this new market forward at political, policy, and operational levels. He represents objective knowledge about cannabis and its economic, social, and political implications on society as a trusted resource for the media, marijuana businesses, and governments. He regularly speaks at National and International conferences on topics regarding policy, market development, and operational cannabis compliance. All today on The Future of Social Equity and Interstate Commerce with Mark Slaugh, DEI Committee on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice.