Cannabis industry leaders begin launching equity initiatives

Eaze, the cannabis delivery platform, and Vangst, cannabis recruitment platform, both have hopped on the new initiative to start programs that will bolster populations that have felt the brunt of anti-marijuana laws.

To clarify, equity as a concept is the idea that those who lost their freedom, families, or homes as a result of draconian pot policies established in the name of Nixon’s failed “War on Drugs” should be given priority access to the new legal market. City governments in Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are all currently spearheading equity programs with varying degrees of success.

Eaze has an established presence in the Bay Area — who could miss the billboards they often have lining the entrance to the Bay Bridge? They are also, technically speaking, not a cannabis company, as they serve as the interface that connects customers with cannabis dispensaries and delivery drivers. Regardless, on Sept. 24, the company unveiled Momentum, which is billed as a cannabis business accelerator.

The program will select 10 applicants to participate in a 10-week education program and receive a $50,000 grant toward their business.

Jen Lujan, Director of Social Impact for Eaze, says the company’s intention is to offer an opportunity for underrepresented individuals — including people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, and anyone incarcerated or negatively impacted by pot prohibition — to take advantage of Eaze’s infrastructure and personnel to help launch their own business.

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