KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – One of Kalamazoo’s fastest growing industries is the production and sale of marijuana, as it is in many Michigan towns.
This afternoon, Kalamazoo City Commissioners will discuss plans to update their regulations, create a Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, and look for ways to bring more minorities into the business.
The voter initiative that legalized recreational marijuana requires that some of the revenue it raises be spent locally promoting diversity in ownership.
City Attorney Clyde Robinson says they put equity strategies into their initial ordinance, but they have had limited success because many people of color have less access to capital.
One of the items up for discussion today may address that issue, and result in a proposal for consideration later this summer, along with several other changes to the rules for marijuana businesses in the city.
(reporting from John McNeill)
