Social Justice & Equity in the Cannabis Industry
As states continue to move away from the policies of prohibition, overall arrest rates are dropping but racial disparities remain. State cannabis programs also create significant business opportunities as the underground market transitions into a regulated, small business sector but unfortunately onerous capital requirements, restrictions on licensing for drug-felons, and other factors have limited opportunities for people of color and other disadvantaged minorities from succeeding in new legal cannabis market.
NCIA supports and has endorsed multiple pieces of legislation that seek to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive industry, including the Marijuana Opportunity and Reinvestment (MORE) Act (H.R. 3884 & S. 2227), the Marijuana Justice Act (H.R. 4815 & S. 1689), the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act (S. 3174), and the Realizing Equitable & Sustainable Participation in Emerging Cannabis Trades (RESPECT) Resolution.
Further detail on NCIA’s position on social equity policies is available in our 2019 Policy Council publication: Increasing Equity In The Cannabis Industry: Six Achievable Goals For Policy Makers.