Illinois is putting its marijuana money where its mouth is, announcing on Tuesday that $31.5 million in restorative justice grants are now available thanks to tax revenue derived from legal cannabis sales. Under the legalization bill that Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed last year, a Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program was established. It provides grant opportunities for “communities impacted …
Getting high on cannabis can relieve stress, pain and anxiety. It can abolish thoughts that keep you up at night and intensify feelings of pleasure—though the industry itself is far from euphoric. In fact, as legalization spreads from state to state, inequities and inequalities are growing more difficult to ignore. But myriad organizations are committed to fight for fairness when …
More than a year ago, I heard C.J. Wallace, son of Christopher “The Notorious BIG” Wallace, was getting into the cannabis industry. People told me his organization, Think BIG, was cool as hell. But after looking into it, I could not (for the life of me) figure out what it did. I think C.J. and his partner, creative genius Willie Mack, seemed to be …
MCBA Statement of Solidarity with Protesters Fighting to End Police Brutality The Minority Cannabis Business Association stands in solidarity with the movement to end the racist murders of black and brown people at the hands of the police. Many of our members have experienced direct negative and dangerous interactions with police, the criminal justice system, and the power structures that perpetuate …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Minority Business Owners Applaud New Coronavirus Relief Package That Would End Restrictions on Access to Banking for Cannabis Businesses CONTACT: – Jason Ortiz, MCBA President, 860-639-8101 jason@minoritycannabis.org, – Amber Littlejohn, MCBA Senior Policy Advisor, 202-769-9970 Amber@minoritycannabis.org Washington D.C. – On May 13, the minority cannabis business community applauded House leadership for working to end cash only transactions …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MCBA applauds Reps. Blumenauer and Perlmutter for Fighting to Provide Access to COVID Relief Funds for Small Cannabis Businesses CONTACT: – Jason Ortiz, MCBA President, 8606398101 jason@minoritycannabis.org, – Amber Littlejohn, MCBA Senior Policy Advisor, 202-769-9970 Amber@minoritycannabis.org Washington D.C. – On April 23, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) Emergency introduced the “Cannabis Small …
In this time of national crisis, the cannabis industry has come together in continued commitment to ensuring the health and wellbeing of the public. Cannabis companies have donated personal protective equipment to first responders, hired workers laid off in other industries, and some businesses have even adapted some of their manufacturing capabilities to produce hand sanitizer. As this pandemic has …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, February 27, 2020 Contact: Jason Ortiz, President – jason@minoritycannabis.org (860) 639-8101 Kaliko Castille, Vice-President – kaliko@minoritycannabis.org (503) 753-5836 The Minority Cannabis Business Association Stands in Support of Bernie Sanders Comments on Marijuana Justice Senator Sanders touches on core parts of MCBAʻs mission with comments during CBS Presidential debate WASHINGTON – Advocates for equity in …
In 2020, states with legal adult-use and medical cannabis laws are flooding with cash, from Nevada and Massachusetts to Illinois (which reportedly sold over $11 million-worth in a week); they’re also troublingly behind on quality, consumer access, and especially their social equity. As state leaders like New York Governor Andrew Cuomo prepare to launch new cannabis platforms of their own, longtime industry and …