Hartford Business Journal. February 25, 2022. By Skyler Frazer
A group of Connecticut legal pot advocates has released a “cannabis manifesto” that is meant to be a resource for minority business applicants looking to enter the recreational industry.
The Alliance for Cannabis Equity (ACE), a group formed by the Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program (ConnCORP) and The WorkPlace, held a press conference in Bridgeport this week to announce the release of the manifesto.
The eight-part document, put together by Trumbull-based economic advisory firm BJM Solutions, provides an overview of what applicants will need when applying for cannabis licenses.
This includes a look at the lottery process and other general business questions that may help Social Equity applicants create and manage their businesses.
The manifesto can be found online.
ConnCORP Board Chair Carlton Highsmith said Connecticut’s law aims to ensure Black and brown communities aren’t left out of the legal cannabis industry, something ACE hopes to emphasize and support.
“But there is a knowledge gap that needs to be bridged,” Highsmith said. “Linkages to resources need to be made. Sources of financial capital that need to be identified. There is an urgent necessity for reliable and trusted information. This Manifesto is designed to bridge the resource gap and link interested parties to reliable, trusted and authoritative information and resources.”
The manifesto is broken down into several different sections, spanning from introduction to the legislation to frequently asked questions related to entrepreneurs, workforce and criminal record expungement. The document also provides some case study examples of successful cannabis businesses and offers resources connecting applicants to financers, consultants and legal experts.