Washington’s weed industry is owned overwhelmingly by white people, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone who has been paying attention—the industry was designed that way.

Unlike other states with MMJ and legal marijuana, Washington’s government has never even attempted to boost diversity in cannabis with any social equity programs. Seven years after legal pot first went on sale, lawmakers and the state’s top pot regulator have yet to create a cannabis equity program. Social equity should have been a priority as an attempt to send some of the benefits of the legal cannabis industry to the communities of color who were most victimized by the War on Drugs.

Aaron Bossett joined The Black Cannabis Commission as an attempt to utilize the full potential of the community, to drive a new era of development, growth, and productivity. Initially, he believed the community based cannabis equity programs would provide universal access, and full participation in the culture, with full vertical integration as a sustainable job source for the community.

However, Washington’s leaders appear to be going about this process with little or no buy-in from the minority communities they claim to want to help. Black people make up 3.7% of the state’s population, according to the 2019 census, but currently own only 1% of pot farms and processors and less than 4% of retailers, according to a survey from the state’s Liquor and Control Board (LCB).

Aaron's frustration with the lack of progress establishing a social equity program has put him between a rock and a hard place. His response has been to create a branding and distribution company for Black owned businesses, as well as establishing a grassroots program absent of regulatory authority approval.

Show Notes:
A Fight Is Brewing Over Diversity in Washington's Legal Weed Market
https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2019/11/27/42107458/a-fight-is-brewing-over-how-the-state-can-increase-diversity-in-the-legal-weed-market

Guest:
Aaron Bossett, CEO at Axum Analytics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bossett-46487761/

Host:
Josh Kincaid, Capital Markets Analyst & host of your cannabis business podcast.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshkincaid/

Episode 724 of The Talking Hedge:
Your Cannabis Business Podcast.
​Covering cannabis products, reviews, business news, interviews, investments, events, and more.
https://www.theTalkingHedgepodcast.com

Music Info:
Song: Beat | Keep On | 2020
Artist: Milochromatic Beats
&
Song: Dark Trap Beats Hard Rap Instrumental | Gang | 2018
Artist: LuxrayBeats

Keywords:
Hemp News, Weed News, Cannabis News, Marijuana News, Cannabis Business, Marijuana Business, Cannabis Industry News, Marijuana Industry News, Weed News 420, Talking Hedge Podcast, Cannabis Podcast, Marijuana Podcast, Business Podcast, CBD podcast, THC podcast, Cannabis Pitch Deck, Marijuana Pitch Deck, Marijuana Investment Deck, Cannabis Investment Deck, Cannabis Compliance, Cannabis Data, Cannabis Banking, Cannabis Investment, Pot Stocks, Cannabis Stocks, Weed Stocks, Marijuana Stocks, Cannabis Data, Marijuana Data, Cannabis Analytics, Marijuana Analytics, Cannabis Sales Data, Marijuana Sales Data

Josh is not an investment adviser. The Talking Hedge is long gold and silver. Listeners should always speak to their personal financial advisers.