Entrepreneurs of Color Unite for Equal Access to Colorado Cannabis Market
The Color of Cannabis Uplifts Black History Month with Third Annual Social Equity Lobby in Support of HB 24-1061
DENVER, CO (February 5th, 2024) – The Color of Cannabis (TCC), a leading marijuana Social Equity organization in Colorado, takes the lead in championing House Bill 24-1061, “Marijuana Industry & Social Equity,” aimed at leveling the playing field for recently licensed entrepreneurs of color. This bill seeks to strengthen the cannabis Social Equity program established by the Colorado legislature in 2020 and includes a provision allowing Social Equity Delivery companies to operate independently from dispensaries.
“After a decade of waiting to engage in the Colorado industry, we’re still waiting for a genuine opportunity. While the social equity program seems promising on paper, the implementation has been damaging,” states TCC founder Sarah Woodson. “Delivery, conceived in 2019, was not meant to be a successful model. The entrenched industry’s heavy investment in a brick-and-mortar model, coupled with racism and protectionism, creates insurmountable challenges for equitable partnerships.”
The focal point of concern this year revolves around child advocacy groups opposing delivery, despite its existence since 2019. “They deliberately utilize their financial resources, privilege, and influence to manipulate data, misleading legislators.” According to TCC founder Sarah Woodson, “Currently, only five out of the 20+ licensed business-to-consumer cannabis delivery services are operational. Assertions from groups like One Chance Colorado, implying that most kids in Colorado obtain cannabis from delivery services, as per their survey, are not grounded in licensed cannabis delivery services but the illegal, unregulated market. Suggesting that black and brown businesses would deliver cannabis to underage kids is an extremely offensive microaggre
States Regent,Wanda James, the first African American dispensary owner in the country, emphasizes the importance of Social Equity in the Colorado cannabis industry. “There is nothing more important than Social Equity in the Colorado Cannabis industry. For far too many years, we have ignored Black & Latino entrepreneurs and their desire to participate in the industry. We must immediately make the concessions necessary to allow those harmed by the drug war to gain financially meaningful licenses and supplier diversity in cannabis.”
HB 1061 enjoys robust support from a diverse coalition, including the NAACP Denver, established legacy marijuana businesses, new social equity licensees, and marijuana advocacy groups. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Business and Labor committee on February 15.
