Participation in the Massachusetts Adult-Use Cannabis Industry by Race/Ethnicity and Gender Across Job Titles

Abstract

States across the U.S. are increasingly legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes (“adult-use”) through licensure of privately-run cannabis establishments. Legalization efforts have partially emerged in response to unequal prohibition enforcement which disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic/Latino communities. However, the extent to which people from communities most affected by prohibition are included in the legal industry is unknown. This study is a preliminary analysis of participation by race/ethnicity and gender across job titles in the Massachusetts adult-use cannabis industry from its inception through April 2020 (18-month time span). Data were extracted from cannabis establishments (i.e., licensed adult-use cannabis businesses that collectively form the cannabis industry in Massachusetts). Agent registration forms are required for board members, directors, executives, managers, employees, and volunteers across all license types (e.g. retail, cultivation, product manufacturing). As of April 2020, there were 4,907 unique agents (volunteers excluded) across 205 cannabis establishment licenses. Among agents, 77% were White, 9% were Hispanic/Latino, and 6% were Black/African American, <3% identified other racial and ethnic groups, and data were missing for approximately 6% of the sample (exceeds 100%, as persons can be included in more than one race/ethnicity). Excluding agents with missing race/ethnicity or gender (n=347) and grouping persons at two-levels: (1) white or not-white identifying, and (2) male or female, we found 53% of agents were white and male, 29% were white and female, 12% were an ethnicity and/or race(s) that did not include white (“non-white”) and male, and 5% were non-white and female. Approximately 8% of agents held senior-level positions (i.e., board members, directors, executives) versus less senior positions (i.e., employees, managers). However, white males held 72% of senior positions, white females held 17%, non-white males held 9%, and non-white females held 1%. This study is subject to limitations, including that persons who identified as white and another race(s) (n=103) are included in white-identifying categories; future work will address this limitation. Further, all data is typically reported by supervisors rather than self-reported, therefore race/ethnicity and gender are subject to misidentification. Nonetheless, findings suggest that at approximately one and a half years after retail stores opened, participation in the Massachusetts adult-use cannabis industry skews white and male, and this trend is pronounced in senior-level positions.

Licensed and unlicensed cannabis outlets in Los Angeles County: the potential implications of location for social equity

“…What is clear is the lack of racial diversity among owners within the licensed cannabis industry. Drawing from other states with social equity provisions, 90% of cannabis licensees (e.g., owners, executives) in Massachusetts were white (Doonan and Johnson 2020 )—compared to 71% of the census population (United States Census n.d. )—despite statewide efforts that prioritized applicants who have been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. Further, in Detroit, Michigan, over 80% of the population is Black yet only a couple cannabis business licenses were awarded to Black recipients (Gray 2019 ).…”

Racial Equity in Cannabis Policy: Diversity in the Massachusetts Adult-Use Industry at 18-months

“…This included people who identified as: American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern or North African. Our analysis focused on participation among Black/African American and Latino people as these communities were disproportionately impacted by prohibition in Massachusetts, had a sufficient sample size in our data, and were specifically identified in several state equity provisions (i.e., mentioned in qualification criteria for equity programs) [see Appendix Table A] ( Doonan et al, 2020 ).…”

“…As part of employment and ownership registration requirements, all cannabis businesses report employee race/ethnicity, gender, position title, and residency information. In 2020, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission published a gray literature report using one year of participation data which found that 75% of agents were white and 67% were male ( Doonan et al, 2020 ). However, this report was limited to registration forms which contained multiple counts of individuals and did not examine diversity within senior positions.…”