POSTED 7:25 PM, NOVEMBER 20, 2017, BY JOE KHALIL, UPDATED AT 03:49PM, NOVEMBER 20, 2017

SACRAMENTO — Women and people of color are vastly underrepresented within management positions in the cannabis industry, according to the City of Sacramento. Ahead of January’s legalization of recreational cannabis, the city has created a program to try to mitigate that disparity. “You go to the big conferences now and there’s not many women, not many men of color,” A Therapeutic Alternative Executive Director Kimberly Cargile said.

SACRAMENTO — Women and people of color are vastly underrepresented within management positions in the cannabis industry, according to the City of Sacramento.

Ahead of January’s legalization of recreational cannabis, the city has created a program to try to mitigate that disparity.

“You go to the big conferences now and there’s not many women, not many men of color,” A Therapeutic Alternative Executive Director Kimberly Cargile said.

Cannabis Opportunity, Reinvestment Equity (or CORE) aims to provide mentors who have experience in the marijuana industry to women and minorities that are looking to get into that business.

CORE will also waive certain start-up fees for women and people of color entering the business, and fast-track permits and approval processes.

“The intent of the program is to really promote and establish some equity within the cannabis industry,” Joe Devlin, Sacramento’s cannabis policy chief, told FOX40. “We just wanna make sure opportunities for ownership are across multiple sectors.”

Source: ‘Cannabis Equity Program’ Aims to Advance Women, Minorities in Legal Pot Business