Marijuana Advocates Call For Racial Equity In Legal Weed Industry

By Nereida Moreno
Marijuana plant
In this Sept. 15, 2015 file photo, marijuana grows at the Ataraxia medical marijuana cultivation center in Albion, Ill. Seth Perlman / Associated Press
Marijuana plant
In this Sept. 15, 2015 file photo, marijuana grows at the Ataraxia medical marijuana cultivation center in Albion, Ill. Seth Perlman / Associated Press

Marijuana Advocates Call For Racial Equity In Legal Weed Industry

By Nereida Moreno
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With vocal support from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, local advocates and business owners are laying the groundwork for a full-fledged marijuana industry.

In Illinois, 17 companies own licenses to grow and process medical marijuana — and the majority of business owners are white men, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Dante Townsand, co-founder of Chicago NORML, joins the Morning Shift to discuss the barriers for minorities trying to break into state’s fledgling cannabis industry.

GUEST: Dante Townsand, cofounder of Chicago NORML

LEARN MORE:

Illinois Under Consideration as the Next Multibillion-Dollar Marijuana Market (Fortune 3/11/19)