Why Cannabis Needs Social Equity

The war on drugs has impacted and decimated decades of minority lives, and marijuana criminalization continues to disproportionately affect minority groups. Ironically in the early 1900s, it was Mexican immigrants fleeing poor conditions from their country who brought the practice of growing and consuming "marihuana," the Spanish spelling to the United States. As marijuana becomes legalized and commercialized, social equity programs are necessary to enable access and inclusion into the industry for marginalized populations and communities. While many states have legalized cannabis, many politicians are holding firm to the fear-mongering and racist propaganda and beliefs barring minorities' entry to commercial opportunities and cannabis industry inclusion. Now more than ever we need to understand and advocate for social equity programs.