Social equity in cannabis: Repairing the past, reshaping the future 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽

Social equity in cannabis: Repairing the past, reshaping the future 🌱

June 19, 2025

Social equity in cannabis: Repairing the past, reshaping the future 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽

Est. reading time: 4-5 min

As the legal cannabis industry continues to expand, one question echoes across communities, courtrooms, and boardrooms alike: Who gets to benefit from legalization?

For decades, the criminalization of cannabis disproportionately targeted Black and brown communities. “Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than Whites to be arrested for cannabis possession,” resulting in countless lives derailed by incarceration and limited access to economic opportunity. Now, as the industry matures, social equity initiatives are working to ensure that the same communities harmed by prohibition have a real shot at healing and thriving in this evolving landscape.

For decades, the criminalization of cannabis disproportionately targeted Black and brown communities. “Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than Whites to be arrested for cannabis possession,” resulting in countless lives derailed by incarceration and limited access to economic opportunity. Now, as the industry matures, social equity initiatives are working to ensure that the same communities harmed by prohibition have a real shot at healing and thriving in this evolving landscape.

But what does “social equity” in cannabis actually mean and how do we move from good intentions to lasting impact?

Beyond buzzwords: What social equity really means

At its core, social equity in cannabis is about more than business licenses or feel-good branding. It’s about repairing historical harms, opening access to opportunity, and ensuring that restorative justice is woven into the DNA of this industry.

At its core, social equity in cannabis is about more than business licenses or feel-good branding. It’s about repairing historical harms, opening access to opportunity, and ensuring that restorative justice is woven into the DNA of this industry.

This can look like:

This can look like:

Prioritizing dispensary licenses for people impacted by the War on Drugs
Funding community reinvestment programs
Offering technical assistance and grants for small, BIPOC-owned cannabis businesses
Expunging cannabis-related convictions
Supporting reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals

Prioritizing dispensary licenses for people impacted by the War on Drugs
Funding community reinvestment programs
Offering technical assistance and grants for small, BIPOC-owned cannabis businesses
Expunging cannabis-related convictions
Supporting reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals

While progress does rely on change at the individual level, huge impact can be realized by organizations leading the charge.

Meet the movement makers

There are countless groups and indivduals putting in the work to make progress for the cannabis industry and those who have been negatively affected by its complicated history. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, but here are a few great organizations to be aware of and consider contributing time or resources to in order to boost their impact.

There are countless groups and indivduals putting in the work to make progress for the cannabis industry and those who have been negatively affected by its complicated history. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, but here are a few great organizations to be aware of and consider contributing time or resources to in order to boost their impact.

The Last Prisoner Project, co-founded by longtime activist Steve DeAngelo, is a nonprofit grounded in a simple but powerful belief: no one should remain incarcerated for cannabis offenses in a legal market. Through legal aid, clemency campaigns, and reentry support, LPP works to free and uplift those still serving time for something many people now profit from.

The Last Prisoner Project, co-founded by longtime activist Steve DeAngelo, is a nonprofit grounded in a simple but powerful belief: no one should remain incarcerated for cannabis offenses in a legal market. Through legal aid, clemency campaigns, and reentry support, LPP works to free and uplift those still serving time for something many people now profit from.

Similarly, the Weldon Project – launched by Weldon Angelos, who served 13 years for a non-violent cannabis conviction – fights for the release of those incarcerated for cannabis and lobbies Congress for broader criminal justice reform. Their Mission [Green] initiative focuses on securing clemency for cannabis prisoners and building pathways to economic empowerment.

Similarly, the Weldon Project – launched by Weldon Angelos, who served 13 years for a non-violent cannabis conviction – fights for the release of those incarcerated for cannabis and lobbies Congress for broader criminal justice reform. Their Mission [Green] initiative focuses on securing clemency for cannabis prisoners and building pathways to economic empowerment.

On the legislative front, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is one of the nation’s most influential voices. Beyond pushing for state-by-state legalization, MPP has been instrumental in crafting equity-first policies, like automatic expungement provisions and licensing frameworks designed to level the playing field for those most impacted.

On the legislative front, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is one of the nation’s most influential voices. Beyond pushing for state-by-state legalization, MPP has been instrumental in crafting equity-first policies, like automatic expungement provisions and licensing frameworks designed to level the playing field for those most impacted.

Then there’s Weed for Warriors, which reminds us that equity also includes those living with trauma and service-related disabilities. This grassroots nonprofit advocates for veteran access to medical cannabis – an often-overlooked population that faces mental health struggles, physical pain, and bureaucratic red tape when seeking plant-based alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

Then there’s Weed for Warriors, which reminds us that equity also includes those living with trauma and service-related disabilities. This grassroots nonprofit advocates for veteran access to medical cannabis – an often-overlooked population that faces mental health struggles, physical pain, and bureaucratic red tape when seeking plant-based alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

The road ahead: Progress meets pushback

Despite these efforts, the cannabis industry still grapples with stark inequities. Licensing programs often fall short, bogged down by high fees, limited funding, and slow implementation. Many formerly incarcerated individuals face barriers to entry, from lack of capital to restrictive background checks. And in some states, large corporations dominate the space while local equity applicants struggle to survive.

But change is possible. Some cities, like Oakland and Los Angeles, have launched social equity accelerators. States like New York and Illinois have included social equity provisions directly in their adult-use legislation. And consumers are paying attention, choosing more and more to support brands, dispensaries, and organizations that “walk the talk.”

Takeaways

Social equity in cannabis is about righting past wrongs and building a more inclusive industry from the ground up.
Real equity means more than optics; it includes expungement, access, investment, and ongoing support.
Organizations like the Last Prisoner Project, The Weldon Project, MPP, and Weed for Warriors are driving this work forward every day.
The movement needs ongoing action, funding, and community support to be successful.

The cannabis industry is still in its formative years, giving us a unique opportunity – not just to build booming businesses – but to foster an equitable future rooted in justice, healing, and accountability. Let’s make it count. 💚

June 19, 2025