As states along the Eastern seaboard continue to advance cannabis legalization, black lawmakers in New York this week voiced grave concerns over a lack of equity in the plant-touching industry, specifically highlighting a lack of opportunity and training for minority communities in the Empire State. The warranted criticism and threatened blockade of approval from minority lawmakers across the state sends a clear message to Governor Cuomo regarding concerns and skepticism from the New York communities that were most affected by the war on drugs.

Concerns Are Grounded In Reality

While many of us in the plant-touching industry are eager to point out that legalization has benefits for communities: job creation, tax revenues, safer and more responsible pain treatments, etc; minorities are too often overlooked in the initial state-level business and operations planing stages. While communities such as Los Angeles have tried to reconcile these concerns post-legalization with its Phase II initiative, no one in California is willing to say that that has been enough. Likewise, while Boston and other Massachusetts municipalities are making strides in social equity, there is still much to be done.

So in reality, the caucus of black lawmakers in New York state are voicing very valid concerns. Concerns that notably reflected the concerns of many in attendance at the state’s public listening sessions last fall. We were in attendance for several of these across the five boroughs, time and time again we heard a refrain from concerned citizens on a lack of trust with state leaders and companies doing enough to empower minorities. Their skepticism and concern is unfortunately well-earned and Cuomo (and the cannabis industry) would do well to heed their cautions and concerns.

New York Legalization? It’s Going To Take A Village

Social equity in cannabis is a complex matter for people of color, state and local governments, and the companies in the industry. Our CEO is a big fan of describing the industry like a Facebook relationship status: “It’s complicated.” But that complexity does not mean that governments and trade orgs who are working to establish legalization should overlook impacted communities. While New York legalization has the promise of a thriving industry that’s ripe with investment opportunity and job creation, it’s imperative that the State of New York and the plant-touching industry understand the stakes for all parties. For that to happen, it’s going to be less about rubber stamps and a lot more about listening and collaboration.