The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) plans to resume the state’s cannabis social equity training program this fall after a year-long delay caused by budget constraints, the CommonWealth Beacon reports.

Regulators approved 229 individuals for the trainings last year, but the process halted abruptly after the Legislature failed to allocate proper funding. State officials now plan to resume the program for the approved applicants on September 8 and will begin accepting additional applicants starting August 1.

Passed by voters in 2016, the state’s cannabis legalization law requires a social equity program that includes cannabis industry trainings, guidance for navigating the industry’s many regulatory hurdles, networking opportunities for approved applicants, and fee waivers to help cannabis business owners or employees enter the industry, the report said.

The CCC’s Acting Chair Bruce Stebbins told the Beacon that he appreciated officials’ efforts to carry on the program despite funding-related uncertainties.

Kevin Gilnack, the deputy director of Equitable Opportunities Now, said in the report that while he appreciates the difficulties faced by regulators, “it’s definitely frustrating to those who were really eager to get into the industry and looking at this [training program] as their pathway into it.”

“I think the important thing is that we figure out a way to make sure that future social equity program participants aren’t held back by these funding challenges. It would be great to see the Legislature actually set up automatic funding so that regardless of what else is going on, social equity will remain a priority that actually gets fulfilled every year.” — Gilnack, to the Beacon

Meanwhile, Gov. Maura Healey (D) last year awarded 50 grants totaling $2,350,000 to cannabis social equity businesses through the state’s Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund.

“It’s definitely frustrating to those who were really eager to get into the industry and looking at this as their pathway into it.”

By Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s (CCC) social equity program—which has been on pause for a year due to budget constraints—is back on track for the fall.

Last year, the commission accepted 229 individuals into the cannabis industry training program for individuals most impacted by the war on drugs, but said that the agency didn’t have funding from the Legislature to operate the program as promised. The course is aimed at providing industry training, technical assistance around regulatory requirements, networking opportunities and fee waivers for those impacted groups to make it easier for them to enter the industry as cannabis business owners or employees.

Now, with pressure from advocates to get the program restarted, CCC leadership says it is now kicking off on September 8 with the current round of applicants and will accept more applicants starting August 1.

The Legislature capped the agency’s budget at $19.88 million—about $10 million less than the commission’s $30 million budget ask for fiscal year 2026. This kicked off a back-and-forth between the commission’s leadership and lawmakers over whether the CCC is adequately funded to complete crucial IT infrastructure updates, hire for important positions and conduct public awareness campaigns.

Bruce Stebbins, the commission’s acting chair, said to CommonWealth Beacon after the commission’s public meeting on Thursday that he is excited for the social equity programming to begin again and that he is appreciative of the agency’s staff for working within the current budget to keep the process moving along.

“They’ve understood the constraints of the level [of] funding that we’ve gotten over the last couple of years, and I think they’ve pivoted effectively,” said Stebbins. “They’re trying to make changes so that the program remains open to everybody and everybody has access to the program material.”

The cohort that was accepted last summer was given access to virtual training on an online platform called TalentLMS, but didn’t receive the in-person instruction and networking opportunities that previous cohorts did. Starting in September, there will be updated courses on the platform and trainings offered through Zoom. The classes will be virtual in order to limit costs.

Many accepted individuals have been waiting for the programming to begin in earnest for over a year, expressing open disappointment with the delays.

“I understand the tensions around the budget and the fact that the Legislature has kept the commission on a pretty tight string, and that the commission has had to make tough choices, but it’s definitely frustrating to those who were really eager to get into the industry and looking at this as their pathway into it,” said Kevin Gilnack, deputy director of the cannabis advocacy group Equitable Opportunities Now, who was one of the applicants accepted in last year’s cohort.

Gilnack—who was once arrested for cannabis possession—said he is eager to take the business- and cannabis industry-specific classes offered by the program, so he can figure out if there is a viable path for him to enter the competitive industry.

Part of the pitch in the successful 2016 ballot measure for cannabis legalization in Massachusetts included assisting those harmed by the war on drugs to participate in the legal industry. The subsequent law legalizing cannabis and creating the CCC, passed by the Legislature in 2017, directs the commission to ensure full participation—still a somewhat ambiguous metric—in the industry by those disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition.

The commission often touts its work as a nationwide model, in part because of its social equity training program.

But the funding issues are not likely to resolve soon. Lawmakers have kept a critical eye on the turmoil and regulatory delays at the commission in the past two years. Issues include allegations of bullying at the agency, failure by the commission to collect over $500,000 in licensing fees and long delays in major regulatory changes. The House passed a cannabis reform bill on June 4 that would restructure the commission to a three-member body appointed solely by the governor as a way of addressing some of the agency’s leadership issues.

Gilnack’s group is advocating for a bill put forward by state Sen. Liz Miranda (D) of Boston, who co-chairs the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion. The bill would automatically set aside funding from cannabis tax revenue to go towards the social equity program, even if the Legislature chooses not to fully fund the commission through its ordinary process and without considering how the commission chooses to allocate its budget.

“I think the important thing is that we figure out a way to make sure that future social equity program participants aren’t held back by these funding challenges,” said Gilnack. “It would be great to see the Legislature actually set up automatic funding so that regardless of what else is going on, social equity will remain a priority that actually gets fulfilled every year.”

This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The ground is shifting under the beer industry – and marijuana is a reason

Beer is the third most popular drink globally behind water and tea.  But in the US, is cannabis becoming a serious rival to beer? According to recent research from investment bank TD Cowen, U.S. cannabis sales reached $29 billion in 2023, up from approximately $10 billion just five years earlier. That figure now represents about 11 percent of the total U.S. alcohol market, up from just 4 percent in 2018. Cannabis sales are projected to reach $37 billion by 2027, driven by increased legalization and changing social attitudes.

Independent reporting from the Financial Times supports this trend. In states where cannabis is legal, two-thirds of cannabis users reported drinking less alcohol, with beer the most affected category. A similar trend has been observed in Canada, where beer sales per capita dropped more than 2 percent annually following national legalization.

Some alcohol industry analysts are sounding the alarm. A Forbes article earlier this month linked the underperformance of alcohol stocks to growing health-conscious behaviors and increased cannabis use, particularly among younger adults seeking alternatives to traditional drinking.

Despite the shift in spending, beer remains a staple for many consumers. A recent analysis by YouGov and Google Trends reveals that Miller is the most popular beer in 30 states, including the Midwest and Southeast. Coors leads in eight states, including California, Texas, and Arizona, while Guinness is most searched in New Jersey, Georgia, and South Carolina.  Also, still maintaining strong sales are Budweiser, Bud Light, Blue Moon, and Corona, although each holds a smaller share of state-level popularity.

RELATED: Cannabis Is Way Better And Safer Than A Honey Pack

This evolving consumer landscape suggests a long-term rebalancing of the alcohol and cannabis markets. Much of the shift is driven by younger Millennials and Gen Z, who increasingly prioritize wellness, moderation, and cannabis as a social alternative to alcohol. Industry watchers say beer companies may need to adjust—either by diversifying into cannabis-infused beverages or rethinking how they market to health-conscious consumers.

As more states move toward legalization and public sentiment shifts, the once-clear lines between the cannabis and alcohol industries are beginning to blur. Whether beer can hold its ground or cannabis continues to climb remains to be seen—but the competition is clearly underway.