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

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:

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.