Equitable Opportunities Now
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 ore 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!
A Conference Committee is currently negotiating differences between the House and Senate budgets right now, and YOUR legislators need to hear from you!
Use this form to ask your State Representative and State Senator to urge the Conference Committee to include EON’s funding in the FY25 budget.
In response to the Cannabis Control Commission’s call for public comments regarding its draft Model Municipal Equity By-Law or Ordinance, EON submitted the following public comment.
In response to draft regulations 400 CMR 8.00, “Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund” issued by the Executive Office of Economic Development, Equitable Opportunities Now issued the following public comments.
Following the Cannabis Control Commission’s Dec. 14, 2023 meeting, during which Commissioners and staff discussed progress in implementing HCA and municipal equity regulations promulgated pursuant to Ch. 180 of the Acts of 2022, Equitable Opportunities Now submitted the following public comment…
“The law passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Maura Healey today will unlock millions of dollars in grants and loans to cannabis equity businesses. This is an important step toward creating economic opportunity for communities harmed by the war on drugs, as envisioned by voters when they passed Question 4.
“We appreciate all the work that Gov. Healey’s Administration has done in preparation for the launch of the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and hope they will work quickly to roll out a simple, transparent, user-friendly application process as soon as possible.”