You could call Nigel Dandridge a trailblazer.
The Black man and his father are among the owners of the first cannabis dispensary to open under the state’s “social equity” program, meant to boost disadvantaged communities and those hurt by the war on drugs.
“We’re pleased to rep the early stages of a much broader movement toward an equitable cannabis landscape that’s gaining momentum from coast to coast,” Dandridge said Wednesday at a ceremony featuring the governor. “I am living proof of Illinois making good on its promise to carve out a more equitable cannabis landscape for generations to come.”
The store is called Ivy Hall, and it’s in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood.
It’s been almost three years since Illinoisans have been able to legally buy recreational cannabis, but now the state has issued almost 200 “social equity” licenses.