“The barriers for economic success in cannabis are most stacked against people of colour.”
By AnnMarie Hilton, Maine Morning Star
Last week, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee of the Maine Legislature held a public hearing on a proposed bill that would make Maine’s marijuana industry more equal.
The House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross’s (D-Portland) bill, LD1517 would create a new program that would remove the barriers to entry and benefits for those who have been convicted of a marijuana-related crime.
Talbot Ross, in a written testimony, pointed out that the War on Drugs which began in the 1970s disproportionately imprisoned Blacks and people living in poverty, for cannabis-related offenses.
She said that “opportunities for mitigating this harm have been long overdue.”
The bill provides a path to entrepreneurship, while reducing wage gaps among people of color and socially excluded groups.
In an amended version of the bill, it wants to create a Social Equity Development Fund that will provide seed grants to new businesses. The fund would be under the Department of Economic and Community Development and accept funding from private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
A proposal is also being made to create three additional positions to assist new business owners. A business navigator will reach out to communities in need and provide them with technical and educational assistance. A regulatory and licensing compliance ombudsperson will assist. A workforce navigator from the Department of Labor would also work with DECD in order to create apprenticeships. A Social Equity Cannabis Initiative would be created within the Office of Cannabis Policy. This initiative will provide mentorship and waive renewal and license fees.
The Bill would remove the five-year “lookback” period that currently disqualifies those with drug convictions from obtaining a license.
Michael Kebede, policy counsel at the ACLU of Maine, testified that the bill would be fair to the cannabis industry.
Kebede stated that legalizing marijuana had a positive impact on the state, generating jobs, tourism revenue, and economic benefits. However, “some of us were left behind”, he said.
According to an ACLU 2020 study, Blacks in Maine had a four-fold higher chance of being arrested for marijuana possession in 2018 than whites. In York County, the odds were 12 times higher.
Kebede stated that “the barriers to success in the cannabis sector are most stacked against people of colour.”
A few people opposed the bill during the public hearing, saying that it was in conflict with the free market economy.
Rep. David Boyer, R-Poland, asked Amy McFarland (a medical cannabis farmer, co-director of Liberate Maine Cannabidiol, and a witness against the bill) if she agreed that the war on drug disproportionately affected the people of color of Maine and the nation.
McFarland responded that there might be some data, but as a woman of color, she has never seen racial bias in drug charges. Boyer then asked if, if the data was correct, the state had a duty to admit its mistakes and make amends.
Does the state have a responsibility to compensate for harm caused by the state, or would you rather them say “Sorry, We’re Not Going to Do It Anymore”? Boyer acknowledged that this was a big question.
Boyer, before serving as a member of the Maine Legislature, led the Marijuana Policy Project’s campaign to legalize cannabis in Maine.
Samantha Brown, the founder of Liberate Me Cannabis, spoke out against the bill, saying that it would enrich consultants while not creating equity in the cannabis industry. She said that she would prefer to see the expensive licensing fees eliminated, like what is outlined in Social Equity Cannabis Initiatives.
Boyer asked Brown whether she would be in favor of removing the look-back period of five years. She replied, “Absolutely.”
Wednesday, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee will hold a working session to discuss this bill.
The original publication of this story was by Maine Morning Star.
Senators Tell DEA To Fully Legalize Marijuana, Demanding Answers On Rescheduling Process
The original post Maine House speaker’s bill would aid marijuana equity businesses and remove license restrictions for people with drug convictions was first published on Marijuana Moment.
