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	<title>Chicago Archives &#8212; Black Cannabis Magazine</title>
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	<description>We educate, inform, empower + provide entertainment for our TRIBE. Highlighting people of color in the cannabis industry.</description>
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	<title>Chicago Archives &#8212; Black Cannabis Magazine</title>
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		<title>Cannabis Consumption Cities: Revealing Global Leaders</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/cannabis-consumption-cities-revealing-global-leaders/</link>
					<comments>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/cannabis-consumption-cities-revealing-global-leaders/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hazey Taughtme]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Aug 2023 23:39:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cannabis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consumption]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Global]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Houston]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Los angeles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marijuana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prague]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sydney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tokyo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vienna]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannabismagazine.com/?p=198128</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever paused to wonder where your city stands in global cannabis consumption? Today, we unravel this intriguing question. According to recent data from the Center for Advancing Health (CFAH), New York City takes the crown as the global leader in yearly cannabis consumption. It&#8217;s a testament to the city&#8217;s famous hustle, perhaps in [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/cannabis-consumption-cities-revealing-global-leaders/">Cannabis Consumption Cities: Revealing Global Leaders</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever paused to wonder where your city stands in global cannabis consumption? Today, we unravel this intriguing question. According to recent data from the Center for Advancing Health (CFAH), New York City takes the crown as the global leader in yearly cannabis consumption. It&#8217;s a testament to the city&#8217;s famous hustle, perhaps in more ways than one.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-198130" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=740%2C740&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cannabis consumption cities" width="740" height="740" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=80%2C80&amp;ssl=1 80w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/E8E9301C-4D8B-4055-97C5-A34796C01F01.png?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<h3><strong>The Big Apple’s Buzz</strong></h3>
<p>New Yorkers devour an astonishing 62.3 metric tons of weed annually, dwarfing Sydney, Australia, which is the runner-up with 45.8 metric tons. It seems the city that never sleeps might also be the city that never sobers.</p>
<h3><strong>America High on the List</strong></h3>
<p>However, the Big Apple isn&#8217;t alone. Other U.S. cities prominently feature on this list. Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston also find themselves among the top cannabis-consuming cities worldwide. The prevalence of these American metropolises shows the changing cultural and legal attitudes toward cannabis stateside.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-198133" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=740%2C740&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cannabis consumption cities" width="740" height="740" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=80%2C80&amp;ssl=1 80w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6C917C4C-6287-4461-AE33-6FB056FCF517.png?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<h3><strong>The Global High Ground</strong></h3>
<p>Internationally, Rome, Prague, and Vienna make their mark, landing in the top 10 despite weed being strictly illegal. This underlines a stark disconnect between legal restrictions and actual consumption. Meanwhile, Toronto, Canada&#8217;s largest city, represents North America alongside its U.S. counterparts. Asia&#8217;s solitary representative, Tokyo, rounds off this global pot portrait.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-198134" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?resize=740%2C932&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cannabis consumption cities" width="740" height="932" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?resize=813%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 813w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?resize=238%2C300&amp;ssl=1 238w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?resize=768%2C967&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?resize=600%2C756&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7733E087-2E33-42D7-97DB-9755CF7F7450.jpeg?w=953&amp;ssl=1 953w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<h3><strong>Costly Cannabis</strong></h3>
<p>Tokyo not only stands alone geographically but also in terms of cost. The Japanese capital boasts the highest global cannabis prices, a steep $33.8 per gram. At the opposite end, Montreal tempts with the cheapest prices worldwide, a mere $5.9. Within U.S. borders, Portland, Oregon, leads with the most affordable cannabis, hovering around $7 per gram.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-198135" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB-841x1024.jpeg?resize=740%2C901&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cannabis consumption cities" width="740" height="901" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB.jpeg?resize=841%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 841w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB.jpeg?resize=247%2C300&amp;ssl=1 247w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB.jpeg?resize=768%2C935&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB.jpeg?resize=600%2C730&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0257B09C-1D03-4AD2-9791-E9ADE747A9BB.jpeg?w=986&amp;ssl=1 986w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<h3><strong>Legalization and Lower Prices</strong></h3>
<p>The <a href="https://cfah.org/cannabis-price-index/">CFAH study</a> also linked cannabis legalization to lower prices, citing an average cost reduction of about 11.13 percent. It seems as though going legal could be a win-win, both for consumers seeking better prices and governments eyeing tax revenues.</p>
<p>Ready for a cannabis-infused adventure? Don&#8217;t forget to check out the top weed-friendly destinations before you pack your bags. It&#8217;s a brave new world out there, and your city could be next on the list!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/cannabis-consumption-cities-revealing-global-leaders/">Cannabis Consumption Cities: Revealing Global Leaders</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">198128</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chicago Welcomes Viola Brands&#8217; First Cannabis Shop</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-welcomes-viola-brands-first-cannabis-shop/</link>
					<comments>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-welcomes-viola-brands-first-cannabis-shop/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hazey Taughtme]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jun 2023 18:05:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black-owned business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cannabis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cannabis industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Disenfranchised Communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illinois]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job opportunities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[licensing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[minority entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pot Shop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Equity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Viola Brands]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannabismagazine.com/?p=197749</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Viola Brands: Revolutionizing Chicago&#8217;s Cannabis Scene &#8211; A Pioneer Move The bustling city of Chicago is poised to welcome an exciting addition to its cannabis landscape. Yesterday was the launch of the first Chicago-area pot shop by Viola Brands, a leading force in Illinois&#8217; flourishing legal weed market. Adding an appealing layer of diversity, the establishment [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-welcomes-viola-brands-first-cannabis-shop/">Chicago Welcomes Viola Brands&#8217; First Cannabis Shop</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3><strong>Viola Brands: Revolutionizing Chicago&#8217;s Cannabis Scene &#8211; A </strong><em>Pioneer Move</em></h3>
<p>The bustling city of Chicago is poised to welcome an exciting addition to its cannabis landscape. Yesterday was the launch of the first Chicago-area pot shop by <a href="https://instagram.com/viola?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">Viola Brands</a>, a leading force in Illinois&#8217; flourishing legal weed market. Adding an appealing layer of diversity, the establishment of this pot shop represents a groundbreaking stride towards diversity in the state&#8217;s cannabis industry.</p>
<h3><em>Viola Chi&#8217;s Dynamic Leadership</em></h3>
<p>The driving force behind Viola Chi is the robust partnership between Dan Pettigrew, a Hyde Park cannabis industry veteran, and his business partner, Al Lomax. This is a coming home of sorts for Pettigrew, who co-founded Viola Brands with former NBA star Al Harrington in Denver in 2011. With Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as a partner, Viola Brands boasts of an influential leadership team.</p>
<h3><em>An Embodiment of Diversity</em></h3>
<p>Priding itself as the premier Black-owned cannabis company in the U.S., Viola Brands continues to carve a distinctive niche. The company, with operations extending across six other <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/former-nba-star-al-harringtons-viola-cannabis-brand-makes-a-splash-in-new-jersey/">states</a>, including Michigan, Colorado, and California, is committed to driving diversity. In Chicago, Viola Chi will concentrate on offering jobs and training to underrepresented communities, particularly to Black and Brown people, who have been marginalized by the industry.</p>
<h3><em>Revolutionizing the Pot Shop Model</em></h3>
<p>Not only is Viola Brands revolutionizing the cannabis industry from a diversity perspective, but it is also changing the way consumers engage with pot shops. Its Lincoln Park location will preserve the drive-up model of the previous emissions testing site. The convenience of driving in, picking up an order, and leaving without ever leaving the vehicle is a significant shift in the customer experience.</p>
<h3><em>Overcoming Industry Hurdles</em></h3>
<p>Despite the challenges faced in Illinois&#8217; cannabis industry, Viola Brands remains resilient. Their innovative approach to creating a diverse and inclusive industry, coupled with their commitment to the social equity program, sets a precedent for other companies in the sector.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-welcomes-viola-brands-first-cannabis-shop/">Chicago Welcomes Viola Brands&#8217; First Cannabis Shop</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">197749</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>NDICA Hosts Expungement Event in Chicago to Provide Justice-Impacted Individuals with Resources and Support</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/ndica-hosts-expungement-event-in-chicago-to-provide-justice-impacted-individuals-with-resources-and-support/</link>
					<comments>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/ndica-hosts-expungement-event-in-chicago-to-provide-justice-impacted-individuals-with-resources-and-support/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Krissy Robinson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2023 20:16:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cannabis industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chicago expungement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[equity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expungement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hardwell Smitty Smith Foundation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Impact Social Solutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[justice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Metro Family Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NDICA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ndica expungement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ndica metro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ndica metro family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Equity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UCan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[underrepresented communities]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannabismagazine.com/?p=190041</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#160; NDICA (National Diversity &#38; Inclusion Cannabis Alliance) is proud to announce that it will host an expungement event in partnership with Metro Family Services in Chicago, IL, on February 22, 2023. This event is an opportunity for justice-involved and justice-impacted individuals to receive the resources and support they need to move forward. “We believe [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/ndica-hosts-expungement-event-in-chicago-to-provide-justice-impacted-individuals-with-resources-and-support/">NDICA Hosts Expungement Event in Chicago to Provide Justice-Impacted Individuals with Resources and Support</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>NDICA (National Diversity &amp; Inclusion Cannabis Alliance) is proud to announce that it will host an expungement event in partnership with Metro Family Services in Chicago, IL, on February 22, 2023. This event is an opportunity for justice-involved and justice-impacted individuals to receive the resources and support they need to move forward.</p>
<div id="attachment_190045" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190045" class="wp-image-190045 size-large" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=740%2C416&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="740" height="416" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=1000%2C563&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=560%2C315&amp;ssl=1 560w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?resize=600%2C338&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/145FCF76-AC37-41A7-A941-4C9A07FCB369.jpeg?w=1480&amp;ssl=1 1480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><p id="caption-attachment-190045" class="wp-caption-text">NDICA Chicago Program Director, Selena Smith during Shine Bright &#8211; Discover Expungent &amp; Resource Fair 1/25/23</p></div>
<p>“We believe everyone deserves a second chance,” said Selena Smith, Chicago Program Director of NDICA. “By providing individuals with the resources and support they need, we can help them move forward and create a better future for themselves and their families.”</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-190047" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=740%2C416&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="740" height="416" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=1000%2C563&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=560%2C315&amp;ssl=1 560w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?resize=600%2C338&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/8846ED86-065C-4C0C-9CB1-BF11952E86EC.jpeg?w=1480&amp;ssl=1 1480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<p>The upcoming expungement event hosted by NDICA has caught the attention of the popular Instagram page @chicagomediatakeout, which has helped bring even more awareness to the event and its mission.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-190048" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?resize=740%2C836&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="740" height="836" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?resize=906%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 906w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?resize=265%2C300&amp;ssl=1 265w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?resize=768%2C868&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?resize=600%2C679&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/44A0D1DA-393A-43B8-9138-39891A1AB19F.jpeg?w=1284&amp;ssl=1 1284w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></p>
<p>The collaboration of multiple organizations committed to justice and equity, including UCan, Impact Social Solutions, and the Hardwell Smitty Smith Foundation, has made it possible for justice-involved and justice-impacted individuals to receive the resources and support they need to move forward.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co7uilHuQxy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
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<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co7uilHuQxy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chicago Media Takeout (@chicagomediatakeout)</a></p>
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<p><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p>
<p>With the added visibility from a @chicagomediatakeout, NDICA hopes to provide even more justice-impacted individuals in the Chicago area with a second chance and a better future for themselves and their families.</p>
<p><a href="https://instagram.com/hazeytaughtme?igshid=MjkzY2Y1YTY=">Hazey Taughtme</a>, Chief Marketing Officer of NDICA, said “We are excited to host this event and provide justice-involved and justice-impacted individuals with the resources and support they need. <a href="https://hiphopsince1987.com/2023/news/ndica-recently-hosted-a-record-expungement-and-resource-fair/">Our event last month on January 25th had 380 people begin the process of getting their records expunged</a>.”</p>
<p>At the expungement event, individuals will be able to begin the process of sealing or expunging criminal records, as well as get voter registration and cannabis legalization information, employment services, and workforce development.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Event Details</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Date:</strong> February 22, 2023</li>
<li><strong>Time:</strong> 3 pm-6 pm</li>
<li><strong>Location:</strong> Metro Family Services, 235 E 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60628</li>
<li><strong>Registration Link:</strong>bit.ly/feb22expungement</li>
<li><strong>Vendor Registration Link:</strong>bit.ly/feb22vendor</li>
<li><strong>For More Information:</strong> Contact NDICA Chicago, at 888-420-1540 or Info@thendica.org</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_190046" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190046" class="wp-image-190046 size-large" src="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=740%2C416&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="740" height="416" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=1000%2C563&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=560%2C315&amp;ssl=1 560w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?resize=600%2C338&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/blackcannabismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/C3D2596C-94C3-4176-ADAF-9C219D662263.jpeg?w=1480&amp;ssl=1 1480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><p id="caption-attachment-190046" class="wp-caption-text">Raquel Bolton, Workforce Development, NDICA Chicago during Jan 25th Shine Bright -Discover Expungement &amp; Resource Fair</p></div>
<p>&#8220;We are committed to providing essential resources and empowering the community,&#8221; said Raquel Bolton, Director of Workforce Development at NDICA Chicago. &#8220;Our upcoming events for March 2023 align with our mission of uplifting the community, and we&#8217;re excited to offer a variety of events that cater to the community&#8217;s needs.&#8221;</p>
<p>Please see the list below for NDICA’a March 2023 events:</p>
<ul>
<li>March 9th: Peace Circle &#8211; Expungement Clinic at Lighthouse OAI</li>
<li>March 11th: Far Southside Regional Health and Resource Fair</li>
<li>March 15th: Expungement Clinic at WKFD Metro family services.</li>
<li>March 23rd: Peace Circle &#8211; Expungement Clinic at Lighthouse OAI</li>
<li>March 24th: Expungement and career development/placement at CAPS</li>
<li>March 28th: Olive Harvey</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re excited to continue our efforts to uplift the community and provide essential resources that our community needs,&#8221; said Bolton. &#8220;We hope to see you at these events and look forward to supporting and empowering our community.&#8221;</p>
<h3></h3>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/ndica-hosts-expungement-event-in-chicago-to-provide-justice-impacted-individuals-with-resources-and-support/">NDICA Hosts Expungement Event in Chicago to Provide Justice-Impacted Individuals with Resources and Support</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">190041</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Family-Owned Black-Owned Dispensary Celebrates Grand Opening in Chicago&#8217;s Logan Square</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/family-owned-black-owned-dispensary-celebrates-grand-opening-in-chicagos-logan-square/</link>
					<comments>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/family-owned-black-owned-dispensary-celebrates-grand-opening-in-chicagos-logan-square/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Krissy Robinson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2023 20:20:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[African Americans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black-owned dispensary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brewer family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[can-cierge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cannabis dispensary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cannabis industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chuck Brewer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dianne Brewer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expansion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospitality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[independent dispensary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logan Square neighborhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Brewer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Loop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Grasshopper Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannabismagazine.com/?p=188367</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A new dispensary opened in Chicago&#8217;s Logan Square neighborhood, marking the city&#8217;s first independent, Black-owned cannabis dispensary. The Grasshopper Club is owned by two brothers and their 74-year-old mother and located in a 1920s bank building on the 2500-block of North Milwaukee Avenue. Here&#8217;s what you need to know about this new addition to Chicago&#8217;s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/family-owned-black-owned-dispensary-celebrates-grand-opening-in-chicagos-logan-square/">Family-Owned Black-Owned Dispensary Celebrates Grand Opening in Chicago&#8217;s Logan Square</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A new dispensary opened in Chicago&#8217;s Logan Square neighborhood, marking the city&#8217;s first independent, Black-owned cannabis dispensary. The Grasshopper Club is owned by two brothers and their 74-year-old mother and located in a 1920s bank building on the 2500-block of North Milwaukee Avenue. Here&#8217;s what you need to know about this new addition to Chicago&#8217;s cannabis landscape.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CosjLnujqRa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
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<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CosjLnujqRa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Black Cannabis Magazine® (@blackcannabismagazine)</a></p>
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<p><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p>
<h5>An Independent Black-Owned Dispensary</h5>
<p>Matthew and Chuck Brewer, along with their mother Dianne, own The Grasshopper Club. The majority ownership of the independent dispensary is held by the Brewer family, with some minor silent investors.</p>
<h5>A Family Affair</h5>
<p>Dianne Brewer is excited to be back in the workforce, working on the accounting aspects of the business. The Grasshopper Club is a true family affair with the Brewer brothers and their mother at the helm. Chuck Brewer sees owning a dispensary as coming full circle.</p>
<h5>A Unique Approach</h5>
<p>The Grasshopper Club&#8217;s hospitality sets it apart from other dispensaries. Customers are greeted by a &#8220;can-cierge&#8221; who helps them find the right product, making the experience similar to going to a favorite bar and ordering a drink.</p>
<h5>Plans for Expansion</h5>
<p>The Brewer family plans to open a second dispensary in the South Loop during the summer, offering more customers the opportunity to experience their unique brand of hospitality.</p>
<h5>The Future</h5>
<p>The Grasshopper Club&#8217;s opening is a milestone for Chicago&#8217;s cannabis industry. Its unique approach to customer service and commitment to supporting African Americans in opening independent dispensaries sets it apart.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/family-owned-black-owned-dispensary-celebrates-grand-opening-in-chicagos-logan-square/">Family-Owned Black-Owned Dispensary Celebrates Grand Opening in Chicago&#8217;s Logan Square</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">188367</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Chicago Event Offers Safe Space to Get Stoned and Sell Unregulated Pot</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-event-offers-safe-space-to-get-stoned-and-sell-unregulated-pot/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hazey Taughtme]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Dec 2021 16:38:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afroman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dom Brown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windy City Smokeup]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannabismagazine.com/?p=96806</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Windy City Smoke Up was a private and invitation-only event designed to be a safe space to get high. With rapper Afroman headlining, attendees met at a warehouse in Chicago’s West Town for a night of entertainment and weed. The organizer, Dom Brown, pulled the underground warehouse party together to toke where it was [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-event-offers-safe-space-to-get-stoned-and-sell-unregulated-pot/">Chicago Event Offers Safe Space to Get Stoned and Sell Unregulated Pot</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Windy City Smoke Up was a private and invitation-only event designed to be a safe space to get high. With rapper Afroman headlining, attendees met at a warehouse in Chicago’s West Town for a night of entertainment and weed.</p>
<p>The organizer, Dom Brown, pulled the underground warehouse party together to toke where it was “100% legal” to indulge.Entry fees ranged between $55 and $108. And invitees werehappy to payout. Billed as a cannabis expo, festivities included open marijuana consumption alongside live music and art.</p>
<p>The party delivered as promised. Thick clouds, seemingly endless rotation of joints and blunts, and a good time had by all. The crowds toasted the growing legalization and a still strong black market. Vendors proffered their wares. It included products usually found on the black market as well as products available at regulated dispensaries.</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, attendees loved the opportunity. Niko Bretti, 26, relaxing on a leather couch with a joint, said, “This is one step closer to what I wish we could do everywhere, instead of just Illinois.”</p>
<p>Brown’s party drew out vendor Eva Hernandez of Little Village. She produces pot-infused products with her Crybaby Sweets company. Hernandez delivers herself and sells online.</p>
<p>Still underground business-wise, Hernandez feels less squeezed into corners thanks to legalization and events like the Windy City Smoke Up. “Everything is still illegal as f&#8212; but it’s not as much repercussion now, which is nice. Like nobody’s gonna test my pastry to see if it has real weed in it.”</p>
<p>Brown, who hosts “Wake &amp; Bake,” a pot YouTube show, uses events like these to alleviate the stigma and normalize the idea of smoking. He says, “I saw a space in Chicago where there was nobody willing to take the risk to produce an event like this — which it’s 100% legal as long as you follow the guidelines.”</p>
<p>There are no rules for public consumption in Chicago. State law only allows smoking in tobacco shops and dispensaries. Even then it’s only allowed if approved by the local law.</p>
<p>Brown used the invitation-only status to argue his affair was private and not subject to guidelines. During the event, he expressed concerns about the state of Illinois’ social licensing disappointments. He lamented that “big corporate brands” dominate the legal pot market, even if several sponsored the Windy City Smoke Up.</p>
<p>Brown is out of Cali where he admits a robust market may be gray but thrives. He’s out in Chicago “following the road map of what other successful cities are doing.</p>
<p>“When we fly out and shoot [the YouTube show] in these places, it’s so normalized, it’s so relaxed and it’s such a part of their society. That’s why I come back here and I do my work to move that forward.”</p>
<p>Despite the contradictions that force Brown to set up smoking events, billionaires like William “Beau” Wrigley and producers like Parallel are dipping their toes into the Illinois weed market.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/chicago-event-offers-safe-space-to-get-stoned-and-sell-unregulated-pot/">Chicago Event Offers Safe Space to Get Stoned and Sell Unregulated Pot</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">96806</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Mayor Lori Lightfoot Suggests She May be Open to Lowering Recreational Cannabis Taxes</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/mayor-lori-lightfoot-suggests-she-may-be-open-to-lowering-recreational-cannabis-taxes/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Black Cannabis Magazine Syndicated]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jan 2020 01:53:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lori Lightfoot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mayor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxes]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannamag.com/?p=1858</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mayor Lightfoot suggested Friday she might be open to lower taxes on recreational marijuana, but that she wants to see how the program shakes out in its early months. “The taxes are high,” Lightfoot agreed at a city hall press conference.  “I think there’s plenty of opportunity if necessary to go back and make the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/mayor-lori-lightfoot-suggests-she-may-be-open-to-lowering-recreational-cannabis-taxes/">Mayor Lori Lightfoot Suggests She May be Open to Lowering Recreational Cannabis Taxes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mayor Lightfoot suggested Friday she might be open to lower taxes on recreational marijuana, but that she wants to see how the program shakes out in its early months.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“The taxes are high,” Lightfoot agreed at a city hall press conference.  “I think there’s plenty of opportunity if necessary to go back and make the necessary tweaks, but this is so early on that I think we just have to let things play out a little bit more and then take stock of where we are in a year’s time.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Of the 11 states where recreational marijuana has been legalized, Illinois’ taxes are second only to the state of Washington.</p>
<div class="article-content rich-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961);">
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“In Chicago, you are seeing in excess of 40% taxes on some sales,” said Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, which studies budget and tax issues. “Experts suggest that you want to start with really low taxes on this product, in order to get people to switch over to the legal product and then ramp up.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Illinois didn’t do that. When state lawmakers were drafting the legislation to legalize pot, they imposed a unique three-tier tax structure. Products with THC levels below 35% are taxed at 10%; those over 35% THC are taxed at 25%; edibles draw a 20% tax.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">By the time state, county and local sales taxes are figured in, high-THC pot in Chicago is taxed at 41.25%.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“The problem with that might be that it will strengthen the sale of black-market marijuana in the state,” Berg said. “When lawmakers are increasingly taxing Illinoisans more and more and more, they need to think of the unintended consequences of that.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Indeed, many shell-shocked purchasers have posted their receipts online, decrying the high Illinois taxes. One user’s receipt showed over $82 in taxes on a $220 purchase.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“You can make something so expensive that they will avoid using it,” agreed Lawrence Msall, president of the Civic Federation.  “If you raise taxes so high that people no longer see the benefit of compliance, they’ll look for other alternatives.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The state of Illinois has estimated its revenues in the first year will be around $57 million. Msall said the jury is still out on whether those numbers are realistic.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“The good news is that the state of Illinois is not relying on significant revenue from marijuana to balance its budget, fund its pensions, or do anything else,” Msall said.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The Illinois Department of Revenue said it expects to provide actual tax revenue numbers by the end of next month. In the meantime, here’s a breakdown on where the state said those tax dollars will go:</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Minus administrative costs, the remaining state revenue will be allocated as follows:</p>
<ul style="margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: disc outside none; display: block;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">35% for the General Revenue Fund</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">25% for the Criminal Justice Information Projects Fund to support programs to areas hard-hit by violence and disinvestment</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">20% for the Department of Human Services Community Services Fund to address substance abuse and prevention and mental health concerns</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">10% for the Budget Stabilization Fund to pay the backlog of unpaid bills</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">8% for the Local Government Distributive Fund to support crime prevention programs, training, and interdiction efforts, including detection, enforcement, and prevention efforts, relating to the illegal cannabis market and driving under the influence of cannabis</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6875rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgba(12, 12, 12, 0.901961); -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-rendering: optimizeSpeed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">2% for the Drug Treatment Fund to fund public education campaign and to support data collection and analysis of the public health impacts of legalizing the recreational use of cannabis</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="article-footer" style="margin: 2rem 0px 1rem; padding: 1rem 0px 1.25rem; border-width: 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: #d8d8d8; border-bottom-color: #d8d8d8; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; -webkit-box-pack: start; justify-content: flex-start;">
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<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/mayor-lori-lightfoot-suggests-she-may-be-open-to-lowering-recreational-cannabis-taxes/">Mayor Lori Lightfoot Suggests She May be Open to Lowering Recreational Cannabis Taxes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1858</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rapper Vic Mensa Wants To Open Cannabis Dispensary, Cultivation Facility On The South Side</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/rapper-vic-mensa-wants-to-open-cannabis-dispensary-cultivation-facility-on-the-south-side/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Black Cannabis Magazine Syndicated]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Dec 2019 02:13:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cultivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dispensary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vic Mensa]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blackcannamag.com/?p=1811</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>By Mauricio Peña CHICAGO — As Chicago gears up for the sale of recreational marijuana Jan. 1, rapper Vic Mensa wants to see legal weed be more than just an opportunity for lawmakers to balance the budget. Mensa sees it as a chance for elected officials to right the wrongs the war on drugs has had [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/rapper-vic-mensa-wants-to-open-cannabis-dispensary-cultivation-facility-on-the-south-side/">Rapper Vic Mensa Wants To Open Cannabis Dispensary, Cultivation Facility On The South Side</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By <span class="article-bylines__bio-name___30oIS article-bylines__bio-name">Mauricio Peña</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">CHICAGO — As Chicago gears up for the sale of recreational marijuana Jan. 1, rapper Vic Mensa wants to see legal weed be more than just an opportunity for lawmakers to balance the budget.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mensa sees it as a chance for elected officials to right the wrongs the war on drugs has had on black and brown lives across Chicago and Illinois. But for that to happen, black and brown people need to be at the table, not just as employees but as entrepreneurs learning the skills to eventually open their own dispensaries.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">That’s why he’s partnering with his friend, poet and activist Malcolm London, to open a dispensary and cultivation facility near Bronzeville or Hyde Park.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">As part of the plan, Mensa, a Hyde Park native, and London want to bring a dispensary with a greenhouse facility to the area as a way to teach neighbors how to start their own weed business.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“Our goal is to break into the industry and use that to bring people along with us … by passing along the skill set to people in the community to build their own businesses,” Mensa said.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Beyond the cultivation of cannabis, Mensa wants the site to serve as an indoor urban garden where kids can learn to grow produce that will be sold at farmers markets. Mensa, whose nonprofit<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #5da6db; display: inline; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.25s ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-color: #30e8bd; text-underline-position: under;" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Community/Save-Money-Save-Life-945172412322891/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Save Money Save Life (opens in a new tab)">Save Money Save Life</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>works to address gun violence and other issues in underserved communities, hopes teaching children to plant, cultivate and harvest food will improve access to fresh foods on the South and West sides.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“We all know the impact that the war on drugs and the criminalization of marijuana … has had on our black and brown communities on the South Side and West Side,” Mensa said. “I’ve had countless friends and family members ensnared in a cycle of litigation, probation, incarceration and parole that oftentimes started with a weed charge and developed into a monkey on their back that has followed them around for the rest of their life.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“With this, we aim to integrate the community in a way where we are teaching cultivation skills, urban farming to kids and up cycling into teaching adults how to run their own growth.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">London said they want to provide entrepreneurial guidance to people who have been incarcerated because of marijuana convictions.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“We want to work with and work for those who are directly impacted,” London said. “We want to provide tangible skills, a pathway of economic development, financial literacy and teach folks how to be viable in this business.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">As public opinion and laws shift around cannabis, Mensa said it’s “imperative that young black people be part of the process.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“You look at the industry nationwide, it is largely devoid of the people who have suffered the most from the criminalization of this plant,” he said.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Now that there’s a change, Mensa said the state has an opportunity to fulfill its promise on the social-equity component of the new law.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mensa said that while immediate license holders for recreational marijuana are white, he is “hopeful the state will make good on the promises” and have a “truly inclusive process” that includes the black community in the next round of licenses.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mensa and London aren’t the only ones concerned about a lack of diversity in weed ownership.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Earlier this month, the Aldermanic Black Caucus pushed to delay recreational sales until<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #5da6db; display: inline; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.25s ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-color: #30e8bd; text-underline-position: under;" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/12/17/legal-weed-could-be-delayed-as-black-and-brown-aldermen-force-city-council-vote-because-all-dispensary-owners-are-white/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="July 1st because of a lack of minority representation in the lottery system that saw all white owners selected.   (opens in a new tab)">July 1 because of a lack of minority representation in the lottery system that saw all white owners selected</a>. Despite their efforts,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #5da6db; display: inline; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.25s ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-color: #30e8bd; text-underline-position: under;" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/12/18/weed-will-go-legal-jan-1-after-black-caucus-push-to-delay-pot-sales-fails/?mc_cid=cb40a00703&amp;mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D">that move ultimately failed</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in a heated City Council meeting last week.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">And Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) has said he<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #5da6db; display: inline; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.25s ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-color: #30e8bd; text-underline-position: under;" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/12/05/mad-over-lack-of-black-dispensary-owners-ald-burnett-says-get-a-black-partner-or-dont-come-to-my-ward/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="wouldn’t approve any dispensaries in his ward unless license holders had a minority partner.  (opens in a new tab)">won’t approve any dispensaries in his ward unless license holders have a minority partner. </a></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">London said he was proud of the Black Caucus for taking a stand.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“The Black Caucus’ concern is the same concerns that I have,” London said. “Historically, when there is an incredible opportunity, there is never equal access. And so for an industry that has this much potential … you get skeptical of who has the power to do and be successful.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“I’m proud of any politician … trying to make sure [this] does what it is intended to do, which is to serve the black and brown folks from disadvantaged communities.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Despite the current situation, London is hopeful black and brown people will have a “genuine, equal opportunity in securing a license statewide.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mensa’s first goal is to bring the greenhouse, urban farming and entrepreneurial education component to the South Side and is preparing to apply for a license now. Longterm, he aims to expand this model to other locations in the state and nation to empower black and brown people disenfranchised by the criminalization of marijuana.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">In May 2020, the state will issue 75 dispensary licenses to new applicants, including social-equity applicants.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“Above all, I want to see black people be given a real shot and have a real opportunity to build something from the trauma that we’ve experienced surrounding marijuana,” Mensa said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 2rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Spectral, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.313rem; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.57; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; color: #000000; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“We are just young artists trying to make a change in the world, specifically at this moment, make a change in this industry,” he said. “The goal is to teach people how to fish.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/rapper-vic-mensa-wants-to-open-cannabis-dispensary-cultivation-facility-on-the-south-side/">Rapper Vic Mensa Wants To Open Cannabis Dispensary, Cultivation Facility On The South Side</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Local Cannabis Social Equity applicants want licenses, struggle with application</title>
		<link>https://blackcannabismagazine.com/local-cannabis-social-equity-applicants-want-licenses-struggle-with-application/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Black Cannabis Magazine Syndicated]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2019 04:19:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Equity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marijuana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Equity]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>By Sarah Schulte CHICAGO (WLS) &#8212; From a barber on the South Side to a hydroponic farmer on the West Side, Danny Joe Sorg and Alicia Nesbary-Moore are hoping to break into Illinois&#8217; new recreational cannabis industry. &#8220;I really don&#8217;t see anybody like me, female, black and lives in an impacted community,&#8221; said Alicia Nesbary-Moore, [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/local-cannabis-social-equity-applicants-want-licenses-struggle-with-application/">Local Cannabis Social Equity applicants want licenses, struggle with application</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">By Sarah Schulte</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">CHICAGO (WLS) &#8212; From a barber on the South Side to a hydroponic farmer on the West Side, Danny Joe Sorg and Alicia Nesbary-Moore are hoping to break into Illinois&#8217; new recreational cannabis industry.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;I really don&#8217;t see anybody like me, female, black and lives in an impacted community,&#8221; said Alicia Nesbary-Moore, a Cannabis Social Equity applicant.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">Nesbary-Moore lives and works in East Garfield Park, a West Side neighborhood affected by the war on drugs. The 32-year-old molecular biologist runs Herban Produce, a hydroponic farm that provides produce to local restaurants.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">The small company&#8217;s mission is to give back to the community. It employs neighborhood residents. Hoping to expand the business to include cannabis, Nesbary-Moore said she is the perfect social equity applicant for a dispensary license and eventually a craft grow license.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;I think we have a great story,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We are established in the community, we have support of the community, and I&#8217;m hoping the state really looks at that.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">By May 1, the state will award 75 new recreational use dispensary licenses. To diversify an industry that is mostly owned by white men, social equity applicants get priority.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;There are points built into the application for who is a social equity applicant, what communities who come from and how you have been touched by this over the course of your life,&#8221; Illinois Cannabis Czar Toi Hutchinson said.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">More points are included for applicants who have marijuana arrests in their past.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">Barbershop owner Danny Joe Sorg said he is one of them. But, he and so many others face a daunting task in getting through the application process.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;The application itself is very lengthy, a 400-page application,&#8221; Sorg said. &#8220;And you have to have certain resources and infrastructure in place just to navigate the completion of it.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">Nesbary-Moore agreed.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;This application is harder than my grad school application,&#8221; she said.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">To help navigate the process, minority applicants are teaming up with big medical marijuana companies, groups or consultants.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">Ron Holmes is helping about 40 social equity applicants.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;My goal is simple. I want to offer the state a quality slate of candidates, where they can&#8217;t say on May 1st, there were no qualified minority candidates that were knocking on the door,&#8221; Holmes said.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">If successful, Nesbary-Moore and Sorg both said the next hurdle is making sure people of color have a stake in the industry for the long haul.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">&#8220;I really do want to be that pipeline to help other people get into the industry if I&#8217;m to get a license,&#8221; Nesbary-Moore said.</span></p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">Sorg said he wants to shoot for the stars.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">The post </span><a href="https://abc7chicago.com/business/local-cannabis-social-equity-applicants-want-licenses-struggle-applying/5758308/">Local Cannabis Social Equity applicants want licenses, struggle with application</a> <span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">appeared </span>first<span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;"> on ABC 7.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com/local-cannabis-social-equity-applicants-want-licenses-struggle-with-application/">Local Cannabis Social Equity applicants want licenses, struggle with application</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blackcannabismagazine.com">Black Cannabis Magazine</a>.</p>
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