The Connecticut Social Equity Council has come under fire for the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Andréa Comer’s concerns reached the office of Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont, when the chair of the SEC’s finance committee declared her resignation, due to what she perceived to be frivolous and potentially unethical spending by the organization.
According to a statement on the State of Connecticut’s official website, the “Social Equity Council was developed in order to make sure the adult-use cannabis program is grown equitably and ensures that funds from the adult-use cannabis program are brought back to the communities hit hardest by the ‘war on drugs’.”
Chairwoman Comer became increasingly concerned by the spending practices she observed during her time in the SEC in 2023 and 2024. Some of these financial concerns include $35,000 spent on an in-state cannabis conference, at which the SEC had only sponsored $2,800, for lodging, promotional items, and “incidentals” and a further $3,780 on SEC branded, melon flavored lip balm.
Comer is right to worry that the state will not continue to allocate generously to an organization that is not appropriately using its funding and that this funding will not go to the places in the community it is most needed under the SEC’s current way of functioning.
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