The Cannabis Control Commission's social equity program – which has been on pause for a year due to budget constraints – is back on track for the fall.
Last year, the commission accepted 229 individuals into the cannabis industry training program for individuals most impacted by the war on drugs, but said that the agency didn't have funding from the Legislature to operate the program as promised. The course is aimed at providing industry training, technical assistance around regulatory requirements, networking opportunities, and fee waivers for those impacted groups to make it easier for them to enter the industry as cannabis business owners or employees.
Now, with pressure from advocates to get the program restarted, CCC leadership says it is now kicking off on September 8 with the current round of applicants and will accept more applicants starting August 1.
The Legislature capped the agency's budget at $19.88 million – about $10 million less than the commission's $30 million budget ask for fiscal year 2026. This kicked off a back-and-forth between the commission's leadership and lawmakers over whether the CCC is adequately funded to complete crucial IT infrastructure updates, hire for important positions, and conduct public awareness campaigns.
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