The struggle for equity and inclusivity are a common theme in this week’s collection of cannabis news headlines. Overall, lawmakers and cannabis advocates alike are doing their part to create lasting progress within the green space.
Meet the women fighting to ensure people of color have a stake in the legal marijuana industry
Mic’s story highlights bona fide cannapreneurs Amber Senter of Supernova Women and Leisure Life, The People’s Dispensary’s Christine De La Rosa and Cannaclusive’s Mary Pryor as they discuss their ongoing quest for equity in the male-dominated industry.
Can the Cannabis Industry Achieve Equity?
The byline reads: “A participant in an Oakland, California program designed to provide opportunities to community members impacted by the War on Drugs explains why he chose to get involved.” Click here to read his story.
Legal Pot Is Notoriously White. Oakland Is Changing That.
Ebele Ifedigbo and Lanese Martin of the Hood Incubator are the topic of discussion in this Politico report. The dynamic duo outlines their mission to equip members of Oakland’s Black and Brown communities with the tools necessary to achieve ganjapreneurial success. The in-depth coverage includes real-life stories of those who’ve benefitted from the ground breaking business accelerator.
The Edibles Market Is Exploding. You Can Bet Big Corporations Are Watching.
This Mother Jones report discusses somewhat of an omen lurking in the shadows of the cannabis space. During a recent Bite podcast, Greenstate Editor David Downs shares his thoughts on the prospect of mega-companies like Frito-Lay looking to cash in on the lucrative edible market - and a potential “mass-extinction” of small canna-businesses.
California resolution urges feds to focus on opioids, not cannabis
Last week, North Coast Assemblyman Jim Wood co-introduced an Assembly resolution telling President Donald Trump and the Justice Department steer clear of California’s thriving cannabis industry. The resolution states: “The growing opioid crisis continues to represent a far greater threat to the health and safety of our communities, claiming 91 American lives every day. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the state of California, jointly, that the enforcement priorities of the United States Department of Justice should not be undeservedly placed on California’s lawful and closely regulated cannabis industry,” the Mercury News reports.