Governor Baker cannabis business is essential
Rep Chynah Tyler calls to reverse COVID-19 cannabis ban
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Office of State Representative Chynah Tyler
Email:Chynah.Tyler@MAHouse.gov
On Friday, March 27th, I filed an amendment to Governor Baker’s “municipal relief” legislation to ensure equity within our Commonwealth and to support the economic empowerment of adult-use cannabis retail stores licensed in Boston. The Governor’s decision to exclude recreational cannabis businesses from the list of businesses that provide “Essential COVID-19 Services” has put many businesses in danger of failing. We must protect these businesses - especially ones like Pure Oasis in Grove Hall, which is the Commonwealth’s first and only minority-owner cannabis business.
By filing this amendment, I wanted to draw the public’s attention on how certain policies may have good intentions, but can still neglect the needs of diverse communities. For this reason, I disagreed with Governor Baker’s decision to classify liquor sales and not recreational cannabis sales as an essential service provided by businesses to all residents across our great Commonwealth during the ongoing state of emergency.
The Governor’s emergency order - which may be in place indefinitely depending on the progress of the current crisis - will have long lasting harm for both economic empowerment and social equity in our new cannabis industry.
Pure Oasis opened its doors three weeks ago as the FIRST approved social equity license in Boston. It is now being forced to close their doors at a time when our support is needed the most.
Forcing the ONLY minority owned cannabis retailer to close at this time reeks of an artificial economic empowerment and social equity framework to undo the inequities caused by the failed War on Drugs. The same failed war that incarcerated nearly half a million Americans - 80% of which were Black and Latino.
Prior to the outbreak of this virus, the black, brown and poor people of my community have continuously suffered from prohibitive cannabis policies that prevent people from entering into the industry either as entry-level employees, managers or owners of a cannabis business due to prior cannabis-related arrest records. The legalization of cannabis was established as a path towards righting those wrongs and not furthering archaic restrictions on the cannabis industry.
In 2016, the majority of Massachusetts voters (54%) supported Question 4—a proposal to legalize cannabis and regulate it like alcohol. Now, Massachusetts will be the only state that has legalized cannabis and who has not recognized adult-use cannabis businesses as essential. Potentially more than 2,000 working families across the Commonwealth may lose their jobs due to the Governor’s action - adding more stress to our already overwhelmed unemployment system.
Governor Baker’s order - as it stands - does not provide access to cannabis for the multiple purposes it is used for. In fact, cannabis use, whether CBD or THC, has been touted for combating anxiety, depression, physical pain, and even PTSD. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically heightens these symptoms. Now, more than ever, we need policies that are conscious and that “respects the plant” in a way that does not humiliate those who seek access to it.
By continuing to not recognize recreational cannabis retailers as essential businesses, the Governor will be forcing millions of Massachusetts residents to turn to the illegal market. Turning to the illegal market poses the risk of residents exposing themselves to tainted products and VAPI lung injuries. This scenario will threaten to overwhelm our hospitals and exacerbate the shortage of ventilators. A ventilator is a ventilator, whether it’s used for COVID-19 or VAPI lungs injuries.
I recognized that social distancing protocols must be followed in accordance with guidance from the CDC and MA Department of Public Health. However, a life-line was given to local bars and restaurants after a previous order from the Governor that prohibited these establishments from allowing their patrons to dine-in as a means to “flatten the curve” of spreading the COVID-19 virus.
These new orders would allow bars and restaurants to sell beer and wine on their premises via delivery and takeout orders during the ongoing shutdown. However, polls consistently show voters are in support of regulating cannabis similar to that of alcohol and this has significantly increased to the point where 75% of people say marijuana was as safe as or safer than alcohol.
This is why I stand here today leading the fight against these inequities. I started this process by initiating a letter with my colleagues' support requesting Governor Baker to regulate cannabis similar to that of alcohol and then followed that letter with the aforementioned amendment.
As your State Representative, my greatest honor is being entrusted by my constituents to represent them on Beacon Hill, and I look forward to working to ensure that our businesses thrive while also coordinating an equitable distribution of COVID-19 emergency relief to my community.
If you support this mission, I ask you to join the cause and sign on to the petition started by Pure Oasis calling on the Governor to deem adult-use cannabis as “Essential”:https://p2a.co/BeBB9IQ
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