 Democratic Congressman David Scott of Georgia, also on the House Agriculture Committee, tweeted over the weekend about his desire to see cannabis addressed.
Scott said, “As the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to addressing the issue of cannabis in our next Farm Bill. We need to eliminate barriers for small businesses and Black entrepreneurs to start legal cannabis companies under state law.” Amber Littlejohn, executive director of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, agreed when she gave testimony to the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions. Littlejohn emphasized the limited access minority-owned cannabis businesses have to federal pandemic relief programs, the high costs of running a legal cannabis business, the importance of viable state social equity programs, and access to banking services for the cannabis industry through the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. Littlejohn said that in Scott’s state of Georgia, would-be cannabis business owners must pay $200,000 just to apply for a license to grow or process the substance. Littlejohn said only four African Americans applied for licenses, and the state approved none of them. Littlejohn reminds us, “Small businesses are the backbone of our country.” Catherine Cole / The M News Now Comments are closed.
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