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know—when data has shown—the direct commonly-used policy called “sniff-andcorrelation between marijuana arrest rates search,” which is exempt from the Fourth and socioeconomic disparity,” Knox said. Amendment rights against illegal search Social equity programs are supposed and seizure and which lets police officers to assist individuals from underrepresearch a vehicle based on their own sented groups, or with prior cannabis ability to detect the smell of cannabis, convictions, who are trying to start a therefore establishing “probable cause.” cannabis business. License fees and some Not only does sniff-and-search rely overhead costs are temporarily waived, on subjective conclusions by the officer, giving the new business time to establish the policy does not distinguish between a foothold in the legal market. cannabis versus legal CBD and hemp, “This industry cannot be built with which all smell alike. Recently, some just multi-state operators, owning all of court cases have questioned the policy. the supply and being white-run, as it is Prosecutors are beginning to make the now,” said C.J. Wallace, son of the late distinction as well. In a 2020 directive rapper Notorious B.I.G., who co-founded e-mailed to his colleagues, Florida State a socially active cannabis business, Think Attorney Bruce Colton wrote, “Until BIG labs are set up to distinguish Wallace grew up around between hemp and pot, cannabis, both as an artistic officers should not tool for his recording make a probable artist parents, and a cause arrest for a medicine for his autiscannabis-related tic brother, Ryder. offense.” “We want to honor Cannabis taxes all of the pain and and police creativity that cannafunding: Some bis and Black culture police reform have given us,” said advocates are Maisha Bahati, co-owner, Wallace. “But also also asking Crystal Nugs embrace it and think whether law about the triumph we’ve enforcement agenhad. That’s what we want cies should benefit to celebrate.” from cannabis tax Sacramento’s social equity revenues. program, called Cannabis Opportunity In Portland, voters in 2016 Reinvestment and Equity, recently allowed pot revenues to fund public received a $3.8 million cannabis equity safety, drug and alcohol treatment grant through the Governor’s Office of programs, and to support small neighborhood businesses. But a 2019 audit showed Business and Economic Development. “The city remains committed to helpthat 79% of that tax revenue went to the ing to correct historic inequities present police department for traffic safety and in the legal cannabis industry by creating enforcement of existing cannabis laws, a pathway for business ownership by while only 5% went to drug and alcohol social equity members,” said Davina treatment. Smith, Sacramento’s cannabis program “It is outrageous that in a city like director. “The mandate of the city’s Portland we are funding the disruption CORE program has never been more of our own communities with money clear and its mission more vital.” meant to uplift us,” said Rachel Knox, The Crystal Nugs delivery service, chairwoman of the Oregon Cannabis which has already been helped by the Commission. program, plans to apply and enter the “The war on drugs has been a profitlottery for one of the five walk-in dispenable one for law enforcement, and its sary licenses the city will offer later this legalization diminishes this,” she told SN&R. “Arguably, equity and community year “I think the city understands the need restoration budgets should match or for social equity in the industry,” said exceed law enforcement budgets.” co-owner Maisha Bahati. Ω One answer: social equity programs: The stigma, the arrests, the institutional roadblocks all add up to another rigged system for African Americans. “It’s nefarious, cruel, corrupt, and abhorrent, especially when we
“I think the city understands the need for social equity in the industry.”