MCBA Presents: The Daily Dose: Recent Episodes
Minority Cannabis Business Association
This daily podcast from Minority Cannabis Business Association covers one trending headline that the cannabis industry is talking about and how it might affect minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. Hosted by MCBA Communications Manager Precious Erese-Osagie and MCBA Board President Kaliko Castille.
Today on the show MCBA Board President Kaliko Castille covers an article from Missouri Independent: Missouri regulators say they’re close to naming marijuana chief equity officer
https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/13/missouri-regulators-say-theyre-close-to-naming-marijuana-chief-equity-officer/
Here's the background:
Missouri's Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) is set to appoint a chief equity officer for its marijuana program by February 6th, a position meant to ensure the social and economic equity requirements of Missouri’s new marijuana law are met.
The chief equity officer will be responsible for leading communication about the program, conducting reviews for microbusinesses, and promoting educational programming around the licensing process and available support and resources for individuals applying for microbusiness licenses.
The officer will also establish targeted technical assistance programming to communities impacted by cannabis prohibition and compile an annual report on compliance.
On today's show we cover a headline from Marijuana Moment: Virginia GOP Lawmaker Files Marijuana Sales Bill For 2023, Eliciting Mixed Advocacy Reactions
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-gop-lawmaker-files-marijuana-sales-bill-for-2023-eliciting-mixed-advocacy-reactions/
Here's the breakdown:
A Republican Virginia lawmaker has filed a bill to create a regulated marijuana market in the Commonwealth, but it’s drawing mixed reactions from advocates, some of whom view it as a giveaway to large, multi-state operators at the expense of equity for people harmed by the war on drugs.
The bill proposes to remove language that calls on regulators to develop standards on prioritizing social equity applicants.
Instead, regulators would need to consider ways to prioritize any applicant who intends to operate in a historically economically disadvantaged area, rather than those who are from such an area.
The group Marijuana Justice Virginia said the proposed legislation “erases any commitment to addressing the harm of marijuana prohibition that continues to specifically target Black Virginians.”
Today Precious covers a headline from Marijuana Moment: Federal Sentencing Commission Proposes New Marijuana Guidelines For Judges That Would Treat Past Convictions More Leniently
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-sentencing-commission-proposes-new-marijuana-guidelines-for-judges-that-would-treat-past-convictions-more-leniently/Here's the breakdown: The US Sentencing Commission (USSC) has proposed an amendment to update sentencing guidelines to suggest that judges treat prior marijuana possession offenses more leniently. As it stands, federal judges are directed to take into account prior convictions, including state-level cannabis offenses, as aggravating factors when making sentencing decisions. The new USSC proposal doesn’t seek to remove marijuana convictions as a criminal history factor entirely, but it would revise commentary within the guidelines to “include sentences resulting from possession of marihuana offenses as an example of when a downward departure from the defendant’s criminal history may be warranted.” The commission is seeking public comment on the proposed revision, specifically inviting input on “whether there is an alternative approach it should consider for addressing sentences for possession of marihuana.”
On today's show, Precious provides some more information about Minority Cannabis Business Association's mission and some exciting updates:
- New MCBA Board Member class has been elected! Will be announced soon.
- 1st member meeting of the year on 1/19 @ 5pm ET. Sign up as a member today!
- 2023 Small Business Education Series kicks off on 1/25 @ 2pm ET: Building a Cannabis Business Plan
- Sign up for an MCBA Member Committee
- Submit a business tip!
- Fill out MCBA's Member Survey
- We're back on Instagram, give us a follow!!!: @MinCannBusAssoc
- Donate to help us continue to represent minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry!
On today's episode we cover adult-use sales beginning in Connecticut with this headline from CTInsider: Legal recreational marijuana sales start in Connecticut
https://www.ctinsider.com/business/article/Legal-recreational-marijuana-sales-starting-in-17707137.php
Here's the breakdown:
Connecticut has started retail sales of recreational cannabis for adults over 21, becoming the 21st US state to legalize the drug. By the end of the first day of sales, the state had generated more than $250,000 in revenue, according to the Department of Consumer Protection. Regulations allow as many as 40 dispensaries to open across the state by the end of the year. State regulators reported that as of the first day of sales, at least one social equity business was among the retailers open for adult-use cannabis sales. Sales start less than a week after Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont moved to erase and nearly 44,000 cannabis convictions.
On today’s episode we cover a headline from Marijuana Moment: Nearly 43,000 Marijuana Records Automatically Cleared In Connecticut, Days Before First Adult-Use Sales Start
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/nearly-43000-marijuana-records-automatically-cleared-in-connecticut-days-before-first-adult-use-sales-start/
Here’s the breakdown:
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has announced that his state has cleared almost 43,000 records for marijuana-related convictions. The move comes just before the state's first legal adult-use marijuana sales are set to begin. The governor's office has also said that people with a wider range of minor convictions will be able to petition courts for record-sealing under separate reform legislation. Connecticut's first adult-use cannabis shops are set to open on 10 January. People will be able to buy up to a quarter of an ounce of marijuana per transaction.
We also covered this article from Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): Oregon’s governor pardons thousands for cannabis convictions
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/21/oregon-governor-kate-brown-pardons-thousands-for-cannabis-convictions/
Here’s the breakdown:
Oregon Governor Kate Brown is pardoning an estimated 45,000 people who were convicted of simple possession of cannabis, as well as forgiving over $14 million in unpaid fines and fees. The move follows President Joe Biden's pardons of those convicted of marijuana possession offenses under federal law and in the District of Columbia. Several other US states, including Illinois, Nevada, and Colorado, have granted pardons to those with low-level marijuana convictions, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Oregon legalized recreational use of marijuana in 2014 and, by July 2024, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services must expunge all cases in which possession of cannabis was the only charge.
On today’s episode we covered New York’s 1st adult-use sales going live!
Here is the headline from Marijuana Moment: New York Recreational Marijuana Sales Begin, With State Official Getting First Dibs Before Public 4:20 Launch
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-yorks-first-legal-recreational-marijuana-shop-will-open-at-420-today-officials-announce/
Here’s the breakdown:
New York made history on Thursday when it became the first state in the US to have an adult-use marijuana store run by a non-profit organization. Adults aged 21 or over can purchase cannabis products at the Housing Works store in Manhattan, with the first purchase being made by the executive director of the New York Office of Cannabis Management. Housing Works focuses on addressing homelessness and AIDS issues. Although 36 organizations have received Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary Licenses, there are concerns that non-profits selling adult-use marijuana may jeopardize their federal 501(c)(3) status, which makes them tax exempt.
Fresh off our trip to Las Vegas for MJBizCon, Precious recaps Associations Day, the trade show, and MCBA's kickoff party we threw in our hotel suite!
A special shout out and thank you to the sponsors of MCBA's kickoff event: Indiva Advisors, Entrevation, Nebrina Holdings and Bankcard International Group.
On today’s episode we focus on a headline from Ganjapreneur: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Agrees to Purchase Cresco Labs and Columbia Care
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/sean-diddy-combs-agrees-to-purchase-cresco-labs-and-columbia-care/
Here’s the breakdown:
Sean "Diddy" Combs has agreed to purchase the cannabis operations of Cresco Labs Inc. and Columbia Care Inc. for up to $185m in cash and debt financing. The deal covers nine retail stores and three production facilities in New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois, and is subject to regulatory approval and the divestment of assets in several states. The deal is significant given that Black-owned businesses comprise just 2% of the approximately 40,000 cannabis companies in the US, according to Leafly, and because Black people in the US were 3.6 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession between 2010 and 2018, despite similar rates of use, according to data from the American Civil Liberties Union.
On today’s episode we cover our own news! Thanks to Ganjapreneur for covering: MCBA to Hold Cannabis Industry Phone Bank In Support of Pennsylvania Senate Candidate John Fetterman
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/mcba-to-hold-cannabis-industry-phone-bank-in-support-of-pennsylvania-senate-candidate-john-fetterman/
Here’s the breakdown:
The Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) and All-In Pennsylvania are hosting a Cannabis Industry Phone Bank to support Senate candidate John Fetterman in the upcoming US election. The phone bank will be held on 3 November, with the aim of expanding the Democratic Senate majority. The MCBA is calling on all cannabis industry workers, operators and supporters to join the virtual event, which will provide volunteers with instructions on phone banking protocols. The MCBA has said that the future of the cannabis industry depends on supporting candidates that are willing to create a diverse, equitable cannabis market through legislative measures.
Today Precious covers a headline out of Marijuana Moment: White House Condemns ‘Sham’ Russian Court After Brittney Griner’s Cannabis Appeal Denied, While Another American Marijuana Prisoner Cut Off From Family
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/white-house-condemns-sham-russian-court-after-brittney-griners-cannabis-appeal-denied-while-another-american-marijuana-prisoner-cut-off-from-family/
Here's the breakdown: The U.S. government has strongly condemned a Russian court’s decision to reject an appeal for WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Griner is a registered medical cannabis patient in Arizona, and the U.S. State Department has assigned her case as a wrongful detention. There’s some expectation that a prisoner swap may be on the table once the judicial appeals process is exhausted. “President Biden has been very clear that Brittney should be released immediately,” said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Today we're covering a headline from Marijuana Moment: NAACP Calls For ‘Immediate Passage’ Of Marijuana Banking Bill And Pushes For Legalization In New Resolution
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/naacp-calls-for-immediate-passage-of-marijuana-banking-bill-and-pushes-for-legalization-in-new-resolution/
Here's the breakdown:
The NAACP’s board of directors has approved a resolution calling for the “immediate passage” of a bipartisan marijuana banking bill, the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which has already passed the House on seven occasions, and expressing support for federally legalizing cannabis. The resolution stated that the banking reform is critical to ensure equity within the industry and provide small- and minority-owned businesses with access to financial services that could enable them to compete in an increasingly consolidated market. The resolution also reaffirms the NAACP’s support for a 2021 resolution calling for greater economic opportunities for African Americans in the cannabis industry, as well as a 2019 resolution supporting the legalisation and regulation of marijuana.
On this special edition episode of the Daily Dose, we are bringing you the recording of our #SAFECantWait town hall that we held with Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Women Grow and Marijuana Matters.
Listen in as Kaliko Castille, Gia Moron, Courtney Davis and Roz McCarthy explain our support for the SAFE Banking Act and why we believe it must pass.
You can watch the video of the full recording here: https://youtu.be/N-fZFatpFGU
Today Precious holds it down and covers a headline from Ganjapreneur: Uber Eats Partners with Leafly for Cannabis Delivery in Toronto
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/uber-eats-partners-with-leafly-for-cannabis-delivery-in-toronto/
Here's the breakdown:
Uber Eats is partnering with Leafly to deliver cannabis in Canada, marking the first time cannabis will be available on a major third-party delivery platform. Toronto residents aged 19 or older can order from licensed retailers on the Uber Eats app, with the retailer’s CannSell staff delivering the order. Customers must be within the delivery radius of the retailer and will be notified when the order has been accepted, with an estimated delivery time also provided. Only the retailer’s CannSell-certified staff will deliver the order, and they will verify the customer’s age and sobriety as required by Canadian regulations. The first three retailers on the app are Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis, and Shivaa’s Rose.
Today we are covering two headlines:
Kentucky Governor ‘Actively Considering’ Marijuana Pardons After Biden’s Federal Action, Urging People To Apply For Reliefhttps://www.marijuanamoment.net/kentucky-governor-actively-considering-marijuana-pardons-after-bidens-federal-action-urging-people-to-apply-for-relief/
Here's the breakdown: The Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, is “actively considering” potential clemency actions related to marijuana following President Joe Biden’s pardon announcement last week. Beshear has asked the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts to review state-level cannabis cases and identify the number of people in Kentucky with misdemeanor marijuana charges on their records. The governor has also encouraged people with marijuana-only convictions to apply for a pardon. He is still advocating for medical cannabis legalization in the state, but recognises the importance of providing relief to those who have been criminalized for marijuana.
Only One In Four Republicans Admit Marijuana Laws Are Enforced Unfairly Against People Of Color, Poll Finds
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/only-one-in-four-republicans-admit-marijuana-laws-are-enforced-unfairly-against-people-of-color-poll-finds/
Here's the breakdown: Only 24% of Republicans agree that people of colour are unfairly punished over marijuana, despite data consistently showing that Black and Hispanic people are disproportionately arrested for cannabis compared to white people, according to a new poll by Data for Progress. The survey also revealed that the message is not getting through to a significant number of Democrats and independents, though they are far more likely to acknowledge disparities. 52% of Americans agreed with the idea that “people of colour are unfairly punished for possession of marijuana compared to white people”. 77% of Democrats agreed, with 54% saying they strongly agreed. Just 24% of Republicans agreed, including only 11% who strongly agreed.
On today's episode we cover an article from Marijuana Moment: These States Are Voting On Marijuana And Psychedelics Legalization On Their November Ballots
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/these-states-are-voting-on-marijuana-and-psychedelics-legalization-on-their-november-ballots/
Today we cover a headline from MarijuanaMoment: Cannabis Company and Major League Baseball Sign Deal for Charlotte's Web To Be Official CBD Of MLB
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cannabis-company-and-major-league-baseball-sign-deal-for-charlottes-web-to-be-official-cbd-of-mlb-report-says/
Here's the breakdown:
Charlotte's Web Holdings has become the first CBD company to sign a sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball (MLB), becoming the "Official CBD of MLB". The deal includes a rights fee and revenue share in sales of Charlotte's Web's "Sport" cannabis products featuring the MLB logo, as well as a portion of shares in the company, which is publicly traded in Canada. The deal covers the 2020 postseason and three more years and is the result of negotiations between MLB and its players union to approach the league's drug policy with an emphasis on treatment rather than penalties.
Today we cover a headline out of MJBizDaily: New York adult-use marijuana stores 'on track' to open this year, governor says
https://mjbizdaily.com/new-york-adult-use-marijuana-stores-on-track-to-open-this-year/
Despite the end of the year rapidly approaching, Governor Hochul expects to open 20 adult-use cannabis dispensaries by the end of 2022.
Precious covers the story and provides her thoughts on the feasibility of getting these stores open before 2023.
In this episode, we cover a headline from MJBizDaily: 1st Licensed Social Equity Craft Marijuana Grower Open For Business In Illinois
https://mjbizdaily.com/1st-licensed-social-equity-craft-marijuana-grower-open-for-business-in-illinois/
Here is the breakdown:
Star Buds IL has become the first social equity craft marijuana grower to begin operations in Illinois. It is also the first "licensed predominantly Black-owned cannabis business" in the state.
The company was issued an operational permit by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Of the 48 craft grow licenses issued by the department in July 2022, 20 (42%) are majority Black-owned, 17 (36%) are majority white-owned, 4 (8%) are majority Hispanic-owned, and 8% are owned by a partnership group.
All of the new licenses were issued to social equity applicants, defined as individuals living in disproportionately impacted areas with high rates of poverty, joblessness, marijuana-related arrests and convictions. The state has also issued 88 craft grow licenses, 54 infuser licenses, and 189 transporter licenses since 2021, in addition to the 21 existing cultivation centers approved under the state's medical marijuana law.
On this episode originally recorded on October 6, we cover the breaking news that President Joe Biden made the announcement that he was pardoning all federal non-violent cannabis prisoners. Although this doesn't necessarily cover a lot of folks due to most arrests taking place at the state and local level, he also called on Governors around the country to take action to expunge cannabis convictions.
You can check out the article from Marijuana Moment: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/biden-announces-mass-marijuana-pardons-and-calls-for-cannabis-scheduling-review/
The inaugural episode of Minority Cannabis Business Association's Daily Dose.
MCBA President Kaliko Castille is joined by our Communications Manager Precious Osagie-Erese to talk about the headline: California Is Providing $15 Million In Grants To Support Local Marijuana Equity Programsfrom Marijuana Moment.
A few takeaways:
- California does not have a state level social equity program
- $15 million in grant funding will help fund local social equity programs like in Oakland and other cities who have existing programs.
- 2022 funding is down from $35 million in previous budget year.
- Allocation does not mean that $15 million will end up directly in operators businesses, but will flow to nonprofits who are helping programs get off the ground.