For too long, Black and Brown communities like ours have been on the oppressive end of the War On Drugs. We have lost family members, freedom, and decades of progress to the war on drugs. Now that it has been legalized, rich, suburban neighborhoods have profited off of the thing which the government not long ago targeted us for. In August 2018, Pontiac voted in favor of bringing medical marijuana into the city. Now, over two years later, no licenses have been issued. Allowing medical marijuana businesses to finally set up shop within the city provides us with a unique opportunity for accessible healthcare that is not dependent on opioids (pills), as well as new city tax revenue and job opportunities for Pontiac residents. However, it is important to focus on the “Pontiac residents” part of this discussion. City residents should be the ones getting these licenses first, not outside developers with no plans to invest in our community. This is one of our chances to close the economic gap and set ourselves up for success.
As your Pontiac City Councilperson I will: