9 - Cannabis (Part 2)

In the second part of our episode about cannabis, we will discuss the racist history of the criminalization of cannabis and examine the current legal cannabis space. We have seen that legalizing weed is not enough to repair the damage done by the war on drugs. Who is able to participate in this multi-billion dollar industry and get a piece of that revenue? And what can policy makers do to start creating equity and social justice in such a young and lucrative industry?

Doni Crawford is a Senior Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute who works with state and local policy makers to address long standing racial and economic inequities affecting communities of color and low-income residents through public policy.

Dianna Benjamin is a freelance writer who covers the cannabis industry for Marijuana Matters, a social justice enterprise whose mission is to create pathways out of poverty for those most harmed by the war on drugs through advocacy, education and entrepreneurship. She also hosts their Green Light Podcast.

John Bailey is the Founder and Lead Convener of the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative (BCEI). BCEI’s mission is to promote progressive sustainable dialogue, positive community engagement and action around fairness and opportunity in the statewide cannabis landscape and acts as a bridge between the Black community and the Colorado cannabis industry.

MUSIC

“Faster Bassier” (theme song) by DJ Fatha Julz
“Dreary Boots” by DJ Fatha Julz
“The Joke’s On Us” by 91nova // From Free Music Archive // CC BY NC
“Thrum Room” by Podington Bear // From Free Music Archive // CC BY NC