If you have not heard it from our mouth or on Instagram or Facebook on one of our posts, Social Equity is a vital necessity for this cannabis industry.  For decades, people, mostly of color, were disproportionately prosecuted under ridiculous penal laws criminalizing cannabis activities.  Now that the age of legalization has dawned, four cities in California have committed to create opportunities for those most directly affected by the failed war on drugs:  Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Talks of a Statewide Social Equity Program are on the horizon.

We know that Social Equity is good for the industry, good for the community and good for all of us to simply take pause to recognize the racial disparity suffered because of the war on drugs, but one presenter’s comment from the Social Equity Discussion Panel really stood out:  Yarrow Kubrin (a white guy as far as we can tell) did not listen to his lawyer and faced a 5 year legal battle resulting in him going to jail.  The take away:  ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR LAWYER (just kidding…but no, seriously, always listen to your lawyer).

During that 5 year legal battle, 15 defendants stood and answered and not one of them turned rat.  Not one!  Why?  Because they knew the unwritten rules that form the very foundation of the cannabis industry.  If you do not know what we are talking about, give us a call, we will fill you in.

And then, Mr. Kubrin shared a perspective we have yet to hear:  when you partner with qualified Social Equity applicants, you can rest assured you are dealing with someone well aware of those rules of the game.  #micdrop

Needless to say, we left reconnected with our activist roots revitalized.  We are now members of the Minority Cannabis Business Association!  If you would like to learn more about the MCBA or how to become a member, click here.