Chicago Sun-Times

STUDY TO FIND IF DISCRIMINA­TION EXISTS IN WEED-GROWING

- BY MOHAMMAD SAMRA, CST WIRE REPORTER msamra@suntimes.com | @MoSamra16

As the pot industry in Illinois continues to struggle to meet diversity goals, a state oversight office is launching a study into whether discrimina­tion exists in the growing business.

The $2.5 million study, required by state law, will analyze applicatio­ns for licenses to grow marijuana, as well as transport and dispense it. The study will look closely at the much-criticized social equity program, aimed at increasing diversity among license holders.

“We’re looking at every single license type we regulate in Illinois,” said Erin Johnson, acting officer of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office. “I think this disparity study will hopefully give us some insight to know how we’re doing,” Johnson said, “and what further steps we can take, if any, to truly make sure our industry in Illinois is the best and is the model for the nation.”

The sale of recreation­al marijuana was legalized in 2020 in Illinois, the 11th state to do so. The law included provisions to help veterans and people negatively impacted by the drug war get into the business.

But the rollout of these “social equity” licenses faced lengthy delays amid lawsuits and criticism the state was falling short of its diversity goals.

Nearly 200 recreation­al cannabis licenses were eventually doled out on a conditiona­l basis to social equity applicants, but few have gotten final approval to open.

As of Feb. 3, seven of 192 applicants with conditiona­l licenses went on to get their full license and have opened dispensari­es. An eighth business was set to open Thursday.

“Everyone in Illinois was disappoint­ed the initial program caused a huge disparity in ownership between the people it was intended to help and those it helped to become millionair­es,” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford.

Johnson said the study will suggest ways to boost diversity, but emphasized there was no “preconceiv­ed notion of discrimina­tion going into the study.”

The study will be done by Peoria-based Nerevu Group, which describes itself as helping clients “uncover the insights hidden in their real-time data.”

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