Dear Friend, 

As more states legalize cannabis and more cities take steps towards decriminalization, the cannabis industry continues moving towards becoming a mainstream business opportunity. But what happens when a substance that has incarcerated so many Black and Brown people becomes legal? How will states and municipalities address the disproportionate harm to communities of color by the War on Drugs over the past 50 years? 

The legalization of cannabis is not just an economic and public health issue –– it’s also a racial justice issue, and that is why we’re examining the intersections between #RaceAnd Cannabis. 

Please join us on August 27th for a new webinar: #RaceAnd Cannabis: Weeding out racial inequities in the cannabis economy

In order to begin addressing the harms of the War on Drugs, it is essential to center the conversation about the foundation of local and state cannabis legalization structures on race. From how the tax revenue is allocated, to how to address financial and legal barriers to entering the cannabis market –– such policy decisions could either further racial inequities, or could be used as a tool for moving towards solutions rooted in racial justice. 

#RaceAnd Cannabis will be a virtual online presentation about the components of a social equity policy and the local government jurisdictions that are moving this conversation forward. Through a race-explicit lens, participants will learn about: 

• How race played a role in cannabis becoming federally prohibited 
• The lasting impacts of the War on Drugs on Black and Brown communities 
• Strategies activists and governments are using to call for the redistribution of tax revenue to communities that have been most affected. 

Join us on August 27th, because it’s never race alone. It’s always #RaceAnd. 

If you have any questions, or would like more information on our #RaceAnd series, please contact us at [email protected] for more information. 

In Solidarity, 

The Race Forward Team