Why There's a Push for Diversity in the Marijuana Industry

Even Jay-Z is weighing in.

America’s legal marijuana industry has a huge diversity problem—and it couldn’t be more ironic.

The Drug Policy Alliance estimates that less than 1% of the market to grow legal weed is owned or operated by people of color, a startling statistic considering millions of African-American and Hispanic men have been sent to prison for selling the same drug. This has been a trend since the national war on drugs began more than 40 years ago.

And yet investors are buzzing about the future of the budding retail sale of cannabis, thanks to a recent analysis from the esteemed financial research firm Cowen & Company: It estimates marijuana legalization could grow into a $50 billion industry in the next 10 years, which is partly contingent on more states making medicinal and recreational pot use legal.

Cowen analysts say there is an 80% probability that California will pass...

e-mail icon Facebook icon Twitter icon LinkedIn icon Reddit icon
Rate this article: 
Region: 

This marijuana news is brought to you by 420 Intel. For the latest breaking cannabis industry news, subscribe to the 420 Intel newsletter. If you'd like to promote your product or service in this area after every article, contact us.