Equitable Opportunities Now
Well-funded multistate operators (MSOs) and their lobbyists filed EIGHT bills to seize greater control of Massachusetts’ cannabis industry.
But there’s good news: EON and our legislative champions have a bold legislative agenda to empower equity operators and strengthen the entire industry — without letting MSOs undermine fairness and competition.
Social equity businesses, small operators, consumers, patients, and advocates are encouraged to speak out and help protect those most harmed by the war on drugs from large predatory businesses trying to take over the industry.
Following up on a previous call for an investigation into alleged license cap violations, EON and members of our Mass. Cannabis Equity Council sent the following letter urging the CCC to improve ownership data transparency & tip line and urge the Legislature to protect competition. Dear Acting Chair Stebbins and Commissioners Camargo, Concepcion, and Roy: […]
After extensive outreach to the 17 social equity business owners of MCEC with provisional and/or final licenses, and dozens of other equity and general applicants and licensees, it is clear that this is an important, timely, and complex conversation.
More than a dozen cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensary owners, along with BECMA and EON, are raising concerns about repeated reports that owners of Ascend Wellness — a large, multistate operator founded and headquartered in Massachusetts — have violated the Commonwealth’s ownership limits.
Last week, MSO lobbyists and a few politically connected operators tried to change the rules so that the biggest, most profitable companies could get even more of the Commonwealth’s cannabis industry.
MSO lobbyists are no match for the power of your voice. Thanks to supporters like you who spoke up to protect competition and equity in the Massachusetts cannabis industry, the proposal was defeated — for now.
Please tell your legislators and Gov. Healey to oppose any effort to rush a major change in cannabis industry rules through at the end of session without even having a hearing!
Following an outcry from cannabis equity owners and advocates, the House elected not to adopt Amendment 10 to H. 4789, the economic development bill under consideration.
In response, Equitable Opportunities Now Policy Co-Chair Kevin Gilnack issued the following statement…
Join us in telling State Senators to oppose any effort to rush a major change in cannabis industry rules through at the end of session without even having a hearing!
There is an effort playing out TODAY in Massachusetts to weaken one of the strongest protections for cannabis equity businesses in the Commonwealth — potentially devaluing their licenses and starting a race to the bottom for the benefit of MSOs and a handful of operators.
The amendment could be debated today or tomorrow, so please use the instructions below to email your State Representative ASAP — then follow up with a call!