{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T08:04:43Z","timestamp":1789977883315,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789603200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Cannabis &amp; Cannabinoid Research"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cannabis social equity programs have been implemented in many U.S. jurisdictions to address disparities associated with cannabis prohibition and expand participation in the legal cannabis market. While these initiatives reflect important policy goals, their implementation intersects with emerging public health concerns. Legal cannabis markets have expanded availability and access to high-potency cannabis products, and studies in several jurisdictions have reported increases in frequent cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) following legalization. Social equity frameworks often designate economically underdeveloped neighborhoods for increased licensing opportunities. These neighborhoods are also often disproportionately affected by cannabis-related law enforcement, which may result in higher concentrations of cannabis retailers in communities already experiencing structural disadvantage and limited behavioral health infrastructure. Increased exposure to high-potency cannabis products in settings with limited access to addiction and psychiatric services may contribute to elevated risks of undertreated CUD and psychiatric symptoms. Clinicians serving patient populations in these jurisdictions are well positioned to screen and counsel patients at-risk for CUD, as well as to advocate for policy changes that protect the public health of the communities affected by social equity frameworks.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/25785125261490626","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T05:29:31Z","timestamp":1789709371000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Cannabis Social Equity Programs and Their Unintended Consequences"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"given":"Bryce A.","family":"Hill","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pooja R.","family":"Sarkar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA."},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0143-8739","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kevin P.","family":"Hill","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA."},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_1","volume-title":"Cannabis policy impacts public health and health equity","author":"National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine","year":"2024","unstructured":"1.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Cannabis policy impacts public health and health equity. The National Academies Press; 2024."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_1","unstructured":"2.Congressional Research Service. The Controlled Substances Act: Overview and legal issues in cannabis policy. (CRS Report R44782). Congressional Research Service; 2024."},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_3_2_4_1","first-page":"1009","article-title":"Cannabis legalization and social equity: Some opportunities, puzzles, and trade-offs","volume":"101","author":"Kilmer B","year":"2021","unstructured":"3.Kilmer B. Cannabis legalization and social equity: Some opportunities, puzzles, and trade-offs. Boston University Law Review 2021;101(3):1009\u20131033.","journal-title":"Boston University Law Review"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_1","volume-title":"Social and economic impacts of cannabis legalization","author":"National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine","year":"2024","unstructured":"4.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Social and economic impacts of cannabis legalization. The National Academies Press; 2024."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_1","unstructured":"5.Cohen G. How much does it actually cost to open a dispensary? National Cannabis Industry Association Member Blog; 2018. Available from: https:\/\/thecannabisindustry.org\/member-blog-how-much-does-it-actuallycost-to-open-a-dispensary\/"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_1","unstructured":"6.Reyes EA. L.A.\u2019s promise of social equity for marijuana businesses has been painfully slow for entrepreneurs. Los Angeles Times; 2021. Available from: https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2021-03-20\/la-cannabis-social-equity-frustration"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_1","unstructured":"7.Gerber M. California promised \u201csocial equity\u201d after pot legalization. Those hit hardest feel betrayed. Los Angeles Times; 2022. Available from: https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2022-01-27\/california-pot-industry-social-equity-broken-promises"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_1","unstructured":"8.Lewis AC. Legalized pot was supposed to help build Black wealth in Los Angeles. It failed. The New Republic; 2022. Available from: https:\/\/newrepublic.com\/article\/165654\/los-angeles-legal-marijuana-build-black-wealth-failed"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_1","volume-title":"Marijuana\u2019s social equity misfire: Why state efforts to promote restorative justice within the cannabis industry have failed, and how a market-based approach can provide better outcomes","author":"Lawrence G","year":"2023","unstructured":"9.Lawrence G. Marijuana\u2019s social equity misfire: Why state efforts to promote restorative justice within the cannabis industry have failed, and how a market-based approach can provide better outcomes. Reason Foundation; 2023."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_1","unstructured":"10.New York Office of Cannabis Management. Enforcement updates and unlicensed retail actions 2023\u20132024. Available from: https:\/\/cannabis.ny.gov\/system\/files\/documents\/2024\/01\/december-2023-enforcement-data-roundup.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)31789-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2021.306641"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_1","first-page":"100647","article-title":"Cannabis legalization and cannabis use disorder across U.S. jurisdictions","volume":"18","author":"Hasin DS","year":"2025","unstructured":"13.Hasin DS, et al. Cannabis legalization and cannabis use disorder across U.S. jurisdictions. The Lancet Regional Health\u2014Americas 2025;18:100647.","journal-title":"The Lancet Regional Health\u2014Americas"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.893009"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0230167"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2009.09.028"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_1","unstructured":"17.Illinois General Assembly. Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (410 ILCS 705\/). IGA; 2019. Available from: https:\/\/www.ilga.gov\/legislation\/ilcs\/details?ActID=3992"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(23)00119-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jrh.70074"}],"container-title":["Cannabis &amp; Cannabinoid Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/25785125261490626","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/25785125261490626","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/25785125261490626","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T07:16:41Z","timestamp":1789975001000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/25785125261490626"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"references-count":19,"alternative-id":["10.1177\/25785125261490626"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/25785125261490626","relation":{},"ISSN":["2578-5125","2378-8763"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2578-5125","type":"print"},{"value":"2378-8763","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"article-number":"25785125261490626"}}