Once the Face of the State’s Cannabis Loan Fund, He Now Fears Foreclosure

All cameras were on Roland Conner when he first opened, but in a fate experienced by other store operators, his deal’s costly requirements are threatening his dreams. In June, Roland Conner sat down to compose a letter to the creditors…

Missouri regulators deny certification for majority of social-equity cannabis license winners

Of the 24 dispensary licenses selected through the lottery in June, The Independent has identified 14 that are likely connected to groups the state cracked down on previously David Huckins, a disabled veteran from Leavenworth, Kan., threw his name into…

What Makes Cannabis Banking Programs Unique and Stand Out from Others

September 12, 2024
Paul Dunford
Banking, Finance & Real Estate, Social Equity
0 Comments

By Paul Dunford Considering there is no other industry today where a business can be engaged in activities that are simultaneously prohibited under federal law but sanctioned by the state, banking cannabis (marijuana specifically) is inherently unique. Through FinCEN’s 2014…

Out-of-state applicants swarm Minnesota’s early cannabis license window

Those chosen among the 1,800 pre-applications will have a head start when Minnesota issues licenses, likely next year. More than half of the early social equity applicants vying to be first in line to receive Minnesota cannabis licenses live in…

Minnesota Social Equity Verification: Key Dates Start June 21

By Aaron John, Attorney at Harris Sliwoski The Minnesota cannabis social equity initiative As Minnesota continues to develop its legal cannabis industry, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has taken significant steps to ensure that the process is inclusive and equitable.…

California Awards $12 Million In Local Cannabis Equity Grants To Repair Drug War Harms

By Aaron Kelley, Attorney at Harris Sliwoski California’s path to cannabis social equity: from arrests to advocacy Data from the California Department of Justice reveals that nearly half a million individuals were arrested on cannabis charges in the state between 2006 and…

Fine Fettle cannabis dispensary had 5 of its pending CT licenses pulled. Why? It’s complicated.

Connecticut's appointed council regulating equitable growth in the state's new cannabis industry has dealt a setback to an up-and-coming cannabis company with an outlet in Stamford. Fine Fettle, which operates four stores in Connecticut and two in Massachusetts, was stripped…

Why New York’s cannabis equity program is stranding women entrepreneurs Fewer than 15 percent of licenses for retail shops have gone to female applicants.

NEW YORK — Women weed entrepreneurs who applied for New York’s first retail licenses are being left behind in the state’s effort to establish an equitable cannabis market. Since launching the program in August, New York regulators have awarded dozens…

Twice as many dispensaries, looser rules on locations: How San Diego plans to make the cannabis business fairer

The goal is to provide opportunities in the industry for people adversely affected by the war on drugs. San Diego officials say they want to double the number of cannabis dispensaries allowed in the city and expand the kinds of…

Is This The “Golden Ticket” For Social Equity Entrepreneurs?

Access to capital and lack of business know-how are blocking many social equity entrepreneurs from entering and succeeding in the cannabis industry. Many inexperienced entrepreneurs are being lured to the new era of cannabis in search of lucrative opportunities. State…

Why some say WA efforts to diversify pot industry are not enough

A decade after Washington legalized recreational cannabis, people of color remain locked out of the multibillion-dollar industry, with some calling the state’s new efforts for inclusion a late start to an already finished race. Set up against a backdrop of…

DEI and the Cannabis Industry: A Comprehensive Guide

By Katie Coleman As marijuana has been legalized state-by-state in the U.S., the cannabis industry has exploded. Regulations vary by state and cannabis companies are addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in different ways. To illustrate this point, I've broken…

Will LA’s Social Equity Retail Licensing Be Stopped?

By Griffen Thorne, Attorney at Harris Bricken This Thursday, December 8, 2022, the City of Los Angeles will open Phase 3, Round 2 of storefront retail licensing. The City will only accept applications from verified social equity applicants. It will…

NY’s $200 million cannabis fund: Webber & Willis may hold serious conflicts of interest

NY Cannabis Insider has learned that the two high-profile individuals selected to manage a $200 million state cannabis fund may hold significant conflicts of interest that could place New York’s social equity-focused rollout in precarious ethical waters. In June, Gov.…

Why Collaborative Social Justice Is Crucial for Cannabis Organizations

Organizations Looking back on the last decade poses the question: What will the industry look like in ten years? By Jeffrey Zucker COLORADO AND WASHINGTON legalized adult-use cannabis a decade ago, marking an opportunity to re-examine the intentions of this…

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