By Christopher Shea of Rhode Island Current
What is the definition of a community that has been disproportionately affected by the drug war?
The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission wants to answer this question as it develops initial regulations for recreational dispensaries. Kimberly Ahern, the chairperson of the Cannabis Control Commission in Rhode Island, said that she would ask state and federal agencies for data on Rhode Islanders who would be eligible to receive one of 12 special licenses under the law.
Rhode Island’s Cannabis Law caps the number of retail licenses at 24. Six of those licenses are reserved to applicants who are socially responsible, and six more are reserved to worker-owned cooperatives.
The social equity statute includes a number of definitions for what constitutes an area that is disproportionately affected. According to the Rhode Island Cannabis Act it is determined by federal poverty levels, unemployment rates, how many children are in a free-lunch program, and historical arrest rates.
Ahern stated in an interview that the whole purpose of the exercise is to determine where individuals may be. “But we need to have all the data before we get there.”
Ahern stated that she had not set a date for when the Commission would need this data. She said that she would check with the agencies to determine what is realistic.
Some marijuana advocates and potential dispensary owners welcome the Cannabis Control Commission’s request for data. The definitions have been criticized for being rife with loopholes which can be used by those who do not need the help.
Rep. David Morales (a Providence Democrat) noted that applicants for a dispensary license can be considered if more than half of their staff come from a disproportionately impacted region.
He said: “This basically says that if a wealthy individual wants to get involved in the cannabis business, you will receive additional support from state.”
Chris Fevry of the Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board in Massachusetts said that such language was not found in Massachusetts’ marijuana law.
He said that the Rhode Island law’s ownership language should be removed because it would be misused.
Fevry grew up Providence and said that Massachusetts doesn’t have a standard license type for social equity dispensaries. Fevry, who grew up in Providence, said that Massachusetts does not have a set social equity license type for dispensaries. He added that there is no limit on the number social equity retailers.
Fevry said that Massachusetts’ social equity program is a state-funded support system through education and skills-based training.
Morales says that owners from these communities should receive state support.
Morales stated that “otherwise, they will be demoted to lower-paying positions in the dispensary or budtenders for the sole purpose of allowing the boss to benefit from social equity status.”
Morales says that if the Cannabis Control Commission has to adopt a single definition, the three members of the panel should focus on Rhode Islanders incarcerated for cannabis-related charges.
Raquel Baker of the PVD Flowers Cooperative – a cannabis dispensary registered with the Secretary’s Office in February – agreed that “there needs to be past experience in this.”
Andre Dev who helped found PVD flowers said that choosing someone who has been directly affected by the War on Drugs was the best way to correct past mistakes. He said it can also help build up communities that were overpoliced in the past.
Dev stated that the community will be able to benefit from this wealth, and it will also encourage them to take care of their customers.
Fund to assist applicants for social equity
Dev says that the state should give the potential dispensary owners the capital and tools they need to succeed.
According to the Rhode Island Cannabis Act (RICA), social equity applicants may be eligible for some financial assistance through a “program of business assistance and benefits related to license applications” provided by a designated fund. Ahern stated that the fund held $1,013,500 as of November 3.
She said that until the advisory board or the commission issues any regulations, there will be no money coming from the fund.
Massachusetts also has a fund of this type, but it was empty as of November.
Fevry admitted that “we’re a bit behind” in this area.
Dev was surprised by Rhode Island’s social equity fund total, but he doubted that it would be enough to support all six applicants required to do so under the law. In Rhode Island’s cannabis law, the state collects all fees except the $125,000 license fee. All remaining fees are then placed into a “medical pot licensing account”. If all 24 dispensaries get approved, this would add an additional $3 million to the fund.
Dev replied, “That could open up two and a half dispensaries.” “If you’re lucky.”
Dev and Baker proposed that the state divert additional revenues from fines and fees to the fund.
Dev suggested that the Rhode Islanders who were formerly incarcerated should receive “professional infrastructure”, such as building resumes, and be taught about finance.
He said, “I believe we can do many creative things with this fund.” “We have a great opportunity.”
This article was originally published by Rhode Island Current.
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Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
The post Rhode Island Marijuana Regulations Seek Data to Better Define Social Equity program Eligibility first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
