Cannabis Equity Program
I. Background:
CTF Global Ventures is a leading force in many industries, with a deep commitment to promoting social justice and equity in all aspects of the industry. Through its innovative Cannabis Justice Coalition (CJC) program, CTF Global Ventures is working to create a more equitable and just cannabis industry, with a particular focus on promoting opportunities for individuals and communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs and other systemic injustices.
The Cannabis Justice Coalition is creating groundbreaking initiatives that bring together a wide range of stakeholders in the cannabis industry, including growers, processors, distributors, and retailers, as well as community leaders and advocates. Through this coalition, CTF Global Ventures is working to create a more just and equitable cannabis industry by promoting education, advocacy, and policy change.
The Cannabis Justice Coalition’s standard for equity brands symbolizes the collaborative effort of engaged community stakeholders, conscious consumers, and industry experts. Social and Cannabis Equity is the fair, just, and equitable management of all institutions serving the public directly or by contract. It ensures the fair and equitable distribution of public services and the implementation of public policy to promote fairness and justice.
Discriminative public policies adopted overtime at the federal, state, and local levels have created and exacerbated many of the inequalities our communities are struggling with today. Inequality undermines trust and community. It renders the government vulnerable to special interests seeking to maximize short-term profit. Inequality, significantly rising inequality, promotes status competition and social divisiveness and weakens the will to defend common interests. Inequality corrodes social bonds, erodes friendship, diminishes civic participation, and attenuates trust in government.
Our Values:
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Criminal Justice Reform
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Accountability
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Equal Opportunity
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Empowerment
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Integrity
II. Cannabis Equity Program
CJC’s Cannabis Equity Program (CEP) aims to provide individuals disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs with opportunities to enter the legal cannabis industry and benefit from its economic prospects. The program offers various services, including career training, business development, financial management, mentoring, and legal and compliance assistance.
To provide these services, the Cannabis Justice Coalition partners with various organizations, including cannabis businesses, universities, and nonprofit organizations. The program offers equity members access to training and education programs covering cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail. These training programs are designed to prepare equity members for careers in the cannabis industry, including entry- level positions and higher-level management roles.
In addition to career training, Cannabis Justice Coalition provides complete business development services to equity members interested in starting their cannabis businesses. These services include help with business planning, access to capital and financing, marketing and branding support, and legal and compliance assistance. CJC also provides mentorship opportunities to equity members, connecting them with experienced cannabis industry professionals who can provide guidance and support as they build their businesses.
Through its business development services and industry career training programs, Cannabis Justice Coalition prepares equity members for job placement and establishing their businesses in the cannabis industry. By providing access to the resources and knowledge necessary to succeed in the industry, Cannabis Justice Coalition aims to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal cannabis industry and help individuals disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs benefit from its economic opportunities.
Programs Include:
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Education and Outreach
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Cannabis Industry Career Training and Job Placement
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Business Development
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Networking Opportunities
III. Advocacy: Cannabis Equity & Justice Policies
With the enactment of medical and recreational cannabis laws across the nation, the expansion of the cannabis industry in America has been growing steadily over the last decade. Although medical and recreational use is legal in over half of the country, numerous states and cities are still apprehensive about allowing regulated cannabis sales in their jurisdictions.
Additionally, legislation in Congress to legalize cannabis at the federal level has stalled for years, adding to the divergences seen at the local and state levels. Most of this would be due to decades of miseducation, racial bias, and "fear" of the "wild west" if it were regulated.
These areas will continue to constrain legal access to cannabis products until they hear from their local opinion leaders and constituents.
We have broken down the issue of expanding cannabis policy reform across the country into three separate parts:
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Local - Working with local governments to expand access in cities that are located in states with legal cannabis laws.
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State - Building the support and coalitions needed to pass cannabis legislation in states without legal cannabis laws.
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Federal - Building support for federal legislation through state and local level advocacy.
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Global - Building support for federal legislation through state and local level advocacy.
IV. Conclusion
While Cannabis Equity programs in the U.S. cannabis industry have the potential to promote fairness and justice, they face challenges in implementation, such as limited resources, regulatory barriers, and limited licensing opportunities. Problems, such as eligibility criteria, lack of diversity, and inadequate public education, can pose challenges for Cannabis Equity programs. However, addressing these challenges can help ensure that Cannabis Equity programs achieve their intended goals of promoting promote economic growth, diversity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry.