As the first Black person in America to be granted a license to open a dispensary, I have witnessed how the cannabis industry can empower entrepreneurs while also reinforcing systemic barriers. Now, with Vice President Kamala Harris pledging to legalize marijuana federally and ensure cannabis access becomes “the law of the land,” we must confront an issue that threatens to undermine the potential of this moment: monopolistic control over the industry.
Vice President Harris has made it clear that her administration aims to “break down unjust legal barriers by legalizing marijuana nationally.” This pledge signals a long-overdue shift toward equity, justice, and the dismantling of the drug war’s harmful legacy.
But we must also recognize that true equity cannot exist if the legal cannabis market is still controlled by a few powerful players, as is the case in Colorado. We cannot move into a post-prohibition climate with antitrust issues woven into the fabric of this new economy.