Business equity remains one of the main challenges affecting the United States cannabis industry. Despite efforts by several states to decriminalize recreational cannabis, the War on Drugs (which has affected minorities most) has hindered diversity and equality in the current legalized regulated cannabis industry.
A recent study showed that most cannabis entrepreneurs in the U.S. are white men while blacks, Asians, and Latinos make up just 12% of the industry owners. Some states like California and Illinois have initiatives to create equity programs to encourage more entrepreneurs from minority communities into the industry.
In California, some leading cannabis companies, such as TPC, Glass House Brands, and CampNova, have also created social equity programs to support minority-owned cannabis businesses. The Weldon Project, a nonprofit organization co-founded by former and recently pardoned cannabis prisoner Weldon Angelos, aims to end federal prohibition and achieve criminal justice reforms for nonviolent cannabis-related offenses.
