BOSTON — Equitable Opportunities Now (EON) will host a Virtual CCC Regulatory Review Community Listening Session on Thursday, July 6 at 1 p.m. to provide Economic Empowerment applicants & licensees, Social Equity Program participants, entrepreneurs from disparately harmed communities, and other stakeholders an opportunity to share and/or listen to recommendations and concerns about how we can ensure effective and equitable implementation of the Commonwealth’s historic new cannabis equity law, An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry!
All five Cannabis Control Commissioners, along with staff, are anticipated to listen to the community’s feedback and speakers will include leaders from EON and other advocacy organizations, Sen. Liz Miranda, Boston Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cannabis Business Manager Shekia Scott, and about a dozen entrepreneurs from communities harmed by the war on drugs.
Event details:
- WHO: You! (Open to all EON supporters including cannabis business applicants & licensees, workers & job seekers, and community leaders & advocates.). Planned speakers include:
- EON Co-Founder Shanel Lindsay of Ardent Cannabis and the Parabola Center
- EON Policy Co-Chair Armani White of Firehouse Cannabis
- EON Treasurer Ross Bradshaw of New Dia
- EON Lead Facilitator Laury Lucien of Legally Great, Suffolk University, and the Mass. Cannabis Advisory Board
- Sen. Liz Miranda (see our legislative testimony for more info about her current cannabis equity bills)
- Boston Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion Cannabis Business Manager Shekia Scott
- Economic Empowerment applicants and licensees
- Social Equity Program participants
- Other elected and appointed leaders, community leaders, advocates, and stakeholders
- WHAT: Virtual CCC Regulatory Review Community Listening Session
- WHEN: Thursday, July 6 at 1:00 p.m.
- WHERE: Your computer! (Registrants will receive a Zoom link prior to the event.)
- WHY: You helped us pass a historic cannabis equity law — now let’s make sure the CCC and municipalities get it right!
- HOW MUCH: Free but please consider supporting our work as a donor or sponsor!
The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) is currently reviewing its regulations and considering policy changes that respond to recent changes in state law known as Chapter 180 of the Acts of 2022: An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry. Three Working Groups composed of Commissioners and staff have been discussing policies to implement reforms based on the following subject areas:
- Host Community Agreements (HCAs)
- Municipal Equity
- Social Consumption
As part of their regulatory review process, the CCC has requested written feedback from stakeholders, organized three social consumption-focused listening sessions, and is meeting publicly and privately with stakeholder groups, including EON’s virtual session this Thursday.
For more information or to register, please visit EON’s website. For more information about the CCC’s regulatory review process, please contact the CCC or visit https://masscannabiscontrol.com/news/
Community members are invited to share more detailed feedback through their CCC Regulatory Review Survey instead of or in addition to, testifying live during the virtual event on Thursday.
For additional background:
- Read EON’s initial comments to the CCC Working Groups
- Read about EON’s comments regarding the outdated social consumption pilot program
- Read EON’s legislative testimony to the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy regarding new cannabis equity bills to further address systemic inequity
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Equitable Opportunities Now (EON)’s mission is to ensure equitable ownership and employment opportunities for Black and Brown communities who have been targeted by the War on Drugs. We are seeking general support funding for our constituent-led statewide legislative and regulatory advocacy campaigns to create equitable economic opportunities in MA’s cannabis industry. Learn more at www.masseon.com