NJ’s marijuana industry is meant to be a boon for equity — but cost of entry is too high for some

The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is calling on the state to do more to help people from diverse backgrounds establish themselves in the lucrative new recreational marijuana market.

Advocates of marijuana legalization touted it as an equity initiative — not just taking a lighter approach toward drug enforcement, but creating business opportunities in many of the same communities most hurt by the war on drugs. Yet the ACLU warns that there’s a serious risk that the industry will instead be dominated by white, well-to-do business owners who are often from out of state, as it’s seen happen in other states where equity was also a stated priority.

The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission — which approves licenses for marijuana cultivators, manufacturers, and retailers — has an opportunity to address that concern, the ACLU says. It has sent the CRC a series of proposed changes to its latest draft rules, for a public comment period that’s open until Sept. 30 — all aimed at giving small businesses with diverse owners a shot at competing effectively with larger, more established marijuana industry players.

“There are a lot of multi-state operators coming in that have spent tons and tons of money over the last few years,” Joe Johnson, policy counsel for the ACLU, said. “So they have kind of the expertise and the money behind them, and the history behind them, to be able to make those type of applications competitive.”

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