WHY EQUITY IS OUR PRIORITY

Decades of cannabis prohibition and the War on Drugs caused arrests, incarceration, and economic exclusion—barriers that still affect access to jobs, businesses, housing, and healthcare. Black, Brown, and low-income communities were hit hardest, even though cannabis use was similar across backgrounds and neighborhoods.

Building an equitable cannabis industry in Boston requires acknowledgment of this history and intentionally addressing its effects and creating transparent systems and because an equitable cannabis industry benefits everyone. Equity is not about offering opportunity to a select few; it is about meeting people where they are and responding to the different ways communities have been impacted ensuring everyone has the chance to participate in and benefit from the city’s cannabis ecosystem.

In Boston, equity is not a standalone initiative. It is a guiding principle that shapes how policies are designed, programs are implemented, and the cannabis industry is overseen. And in Boston, equity goes above and beyond business licensing. It also includes supporting communities affected by past policies through:

• Workforce opportunities – creating pathways into cannabis jobs.
• Patient access – ensuring safe, affordable, and legal access to cannabis for medical and wellness needs.
• Consumer education – helping residents make informed choices.
• Record relief – supporting people with prior cannabis convictions.
• Neighborhood reinvestment – directing resources to communities most impacted.

History of the War on Drugs

History of Cannabis in the US and Boston