Colorado’s Cannabis Industry is Slowly Becoming More Diverse
Colorado is slowly but surely increasing the diversity amongst its cannabis industry business owners. The state’s legal industry is still predominantly businesses owned by white males. However, recent data shows that minority business ownership has slowly increased over the last year. The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) reported that as of June 1st, 18.2 percent of cannabis businesses in the state were minority-owned. The state originally had a goal of 16.8 percent minority business ownership by June 2022, but that goal was exceeded in January of this year. The MED also reported that there were 76 social equity licenses as of June 1st. The gender gap for cannabis business licenses continues to be significant, with women owning only 19 percent of the licenses in the state.
The Retail Cannabis Strike in Quebec Continues
Several government-owned retail cannabis locations in Quebec will be temporarily closed throughout the summer months due to a labor strike. One of the impacted locations will be closed for an indefinite period. Union workers began the strike in May, demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions more on par with other businesses owned by the province. The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) has 67 store locations that remain unaffected by the strike. According to a recent update from SQDC, sixteen of the 22 stores that have been impacted by the union strike will close for one to two weeks over the summer. The store closures are being done so on a rotating basis to give management a break, according to SQDC spokesperson Fabrice Giguere.
The Governor of Connecticut Expects Retail Cannabis Shops to Open in About Six Months
On Tuesday, Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont said that recreational cannabis sales are about six months away. Also on Tuesday, a state panel made the first steps toward approving the first cannabis cultivation licenses. The first round will go to 16 applicants that have met the requirements for social equity licenses. Gov. Lamont said on Twitter that after a briefing on the progress of the adult-use cannabis industry, Connecticut is “about six months away from opening a safe, equitable market.” Lamont has personally been an outspoken supporter of cannabis legalization for his state.
