As the 100th social equity-owned marijuana store in Illinois opened its doors last week, officials are touting what they say have been successful efforts to diversify ownership of the state’s cannabis market. Citing a new study, they announced on Thursday that Illinois “currently has the most diverse cannabis industry in the nation.”
The study, published by the state’s Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office (CROO), found that 60 percent of all adult-use marijuana business licenses granted by regulators have been issued to minority- or women-owned businesses.
During the study period itself, which stretched from January 1, 2020 through January 31, 2023, 59 percent of marijuana retail licenses went to women- or minority-owned businesses—a much greater share than the 21 percent of medical marijuana dispensary licenses owned by minority- or women-owned businesses.
Social equity-owned businesses also represented 63 percent of craft growers, 61 percent of infusers and 74 percent of cannabis transporters, according to the study. And almost 84 percent of Illinois’s direct forgivable loans went to minority-owned businesses.
“These demographics make Illinois the most diverse cannabis industry in the nation,” CROO said of its new disparity study.
“We’re incredibly proud of our emerging cannabis industry, and we’re fully committed to making this
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