Data released by Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency last year showed that of individuals who have an ownership interest in a licensed adult-use cannabis business in Michigan, only 3.8% were Black and only 1.5% were Latino.
Meanwhile, nearly 80% of people in federal prison and nearly 60% of people in state prison for drug offenses are Black or Latino, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
To help fix this disparity, the MRA launched a new program on Tuesday to bring more social equity to the state’s cannabis industry.
The new Joint Ventures Pathway Program (JVPP) was established based on a recommendation made by the MRA’s Racial Equity Advisory Workgroup earlier this year. The JVPP will connect eligible social equity participants with adult-use licensees and “any businesses or organizations that wish to work with social equity participants and are interested in pursuing partnerships,” according to a statement from the MRA.