After years of speculation and discussion, Denver is getting closer to a new licensing program for marijuana businesses that prioritizes entrepreneurs from communities impacted by the War on Drugs.
Mayor Michael Hancock signed two bills overhauling the city's marijuana licensing and hospitality programs while also creating a pot delivery program on April 20. The new rules reserve new pot licenses for social equity applicants through 2027, with the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses holding two public meetings on May 4 and May 6 to help prospective licensees learn about the new initiatives.
The license exclusivity was established in an attempt to ensure that communities harmed by the drug war can profit from legal marijuana; social equity applicants will also receive reduced fees for the licensing process and a waived application fee. To qualify, an applicant must be a Colorado resident who has been arrested for or convicted of a drug offense, was subject to civil asset forfeiture related to a drug investigation, or lived in a designated zone of low economic opportunity or high crime; anyone with a family member who has been subject to drug-related offenses would also be eligible.