From systemic racism to roadblocks for business loans and the new program's vague promises of diversity, equity and inclusion, questions await as the state welcomes legal weed.
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana use,” said Anslinger. “This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." Today, roughly one in five incarcerated persons in the U.S. is serving time for a drug offense, according to the. Drug law violations account for more than one million arrests annually in the U.S. in a push that costs taxpayers roughly 47 billion dollars every year.
“My biggest concern is that of non-related , I don't know of any Black in any dispensary in the state of Ohio who are not related to ownership, which is troubling because that does not reflect consumption or employment of the program as a whole. There's a lack of equity and inclusion at all levels of the program,” Washington said.
Economic disadvantage based on economic and business size thresholds and eligibility criteria designed to stimulate economic development through license awards to businesses in qualified tracts 40 percent of Black non-applicants did not apply for a loan because they were discouraged by their chances of approval. And the persistence of the federal prohibition of cannabis further complicates things.
Much of the law’s plan for diversity, equity and inclusion, lacks detail. The program’s funding is essentially the only number laid out in the plans and amounts of financial assistance aren’t described. The law also doesn’t elaborate on how it will do things like provide grants and technical assistance or encourage hiring certain groups. While there’s real potential for Ohio to cultivate a more equitable industry, that future remains uncertain.