– St. Louis-based Missouri lawmaker calls for probe into cannabis equity licenses.
– State Senator Karla May penned a letter calling for the investigation.
– The allegation arises from a report by The Independent citing exploitation of license applicants.
– The involved company reportedly used Craigslist to recruit applicants from outside the state.
Missouri Lawmaker Raises Suspicion Over Cannabis Program
St. Louis’ Democratic State Senator, Karla May, has roused the attention of regulators regarding what she terms as “egregious exploitation” of social cannabis equity licenses. This move was propelled by a recent report by The Independent about a company using Craigslist to solicit applications for licensees outside state lines.
Unearthing Alleged Irregularities
According to the report by The Independent, a local cannabis company seemingly exploited the licensing process by crowdsourcing applicants via Craigslist. The state law has clear stipulations on the residence of potential license holders, raising eyebrows at the recruitment of outsiders.
May, calling attention to the alleged irregularities delivered a letter to Missouri’s regulatory body on Thursday. In it, she made an explicit demand for an investigation into what she dubbed “fraudulent activities.”
The Breezy Take
This situation calls into question the authenticity of Missouri’s social cannabis equity licensing program. Whether these claims hold water or not, this incident signals the need for oversight and transparency in the burgeoning cannabis industry. Regulators must ensure the laws are sufficiently robust and people-centric to suppress any exploitation that could leave Missourians out in the cold. After all, in such a sunrise industry, it’s crucial to be vigilant and uphold the state’s values while setting up the economy for rapid, fair growth.
Original article: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/30/missouri-lawmaker-calls-for-investigation-into-fraudulent-activity-in-cannabis-program/