As a 9-year-old, A’Esha Goins learned her uncle would be going to prison after being arrested for possessing a small amount of marijuana following a traffic stop.
The episode had a profound effect on Goins and was one of the reasons why the longtime Las Vegas resident drifted toward a career that centers on creating solutions to provide for added diversity in the cannabis industry.
Along with owning her own boutique business consulting and lobbying firm, Goins is chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee of the state’s Cannabis Advisory Commission, a 12-member body that offers recommendations to the state’s Cannabis Compliance Board.
Goins said her mission is to bring more diversity into the ownership and leadership ranks in Nevada’s cannabis industry, which has come under fire for its lack of minority faces.
Early last year, the commission released a report showing that 73% of cannabis business license holders, company managers and board members identified as male, while 65% identified as white.
“I have a family member who was disenfranchised by the failed war on drugs,” Goins said. “That’s the reason why we have to diversify. You cannot be profiting off of people’s trauma and then consistently make them consumers, but not offer opportunities for ownership.”
In Nevada, the monetary bar to clear for ownership of a cannabis dispensary is high, as license-seekers have been expected to have at least $250,000 in cash at their disposal in order to start the business.
It’s unclear if that would continue to be the case during future versions of the license application process.
The last round of recreational marijuana dispensary licenses in Nevada came in 2019. Today, the state is working on the final touches of a program that will offer consumption lounge licenses.
“No average person has $250,000 liquid to start a business,” Goins said. “That means the playing field is not level. The type of capital needed to start a marijuana business in Nevada, there’s no other business out there that you need to have that type of capital to start, outside of casinos.”
Partly because legalization is such a new phenomenon—recreational marijuana became legal in Nevada in 2017 after a measure was approved by voters—the industry is still maturing.
A component of why the Cannabis Compliance Board was created by the state Legislature in 2019 was to bridge the gap between white and minority owners in the industry.
Tyler Klimas, executive director of the board, said conversations about how the industry can become more diverse have been “much-needed.” He said Goins has helped lead the way.
“A’Esha brings knowledge and passion to the table,” Klimas said. “While diversity should be a priority in all industries, given the infancy of the legal cannabis industry and the significant impact of past drug policy, it’s important for the CCB to take advantage of this opportunity and work with its stakeholders to set the standard for better representation and a more inclusive industry.”
Goins acknowledges that the state has recognized the diversity problem, but she believes much more needs to be done to remedy it.
“I think the state took the risks that it needed to take in starting an industry that was and is federally illegal,” she said. “We have a rhythm now. Nevada has done a really good job on the regulatory end of the industry. This is the time to broaden the marketplace to offer opportunities for others to be a part this.”
Still, Goins believes that specific steps will need to be taken to allow for a more equal business playing field in the cannabis arena.
“I think we have to introduce some business licensing for micro-business models so that we’re not asking business owners to have millions of dollars,” Goins said. “I don’t foresee us being successful if there’s no infrastructure, no money and no education. Lastly, we have to figure out ways to stop putting people in jail for marijuana.”
For example, Goins said, an unlicensed marijuana grow operation will lead to serious legal consequences.
“We can’t tell people that they’re doing something illegal, but then also say that we don’t know how they’re going to get into the industry,” Goins said. “I’m optimistic. My money is always going to be on the people and I’ll always advocate for the people. I do believe we will get there.”
In the aftermath of President Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs, the recent rollout of legal recreational marijuana in multiple states, along with the fact that the drug remains illegal on the federal level, make for a set of complicated issues.
Goins hopes her efforts can help lead to a continued softening of attitudes on marijuana and more opportunities for those from minority communities.
“My uncle was in high school, on his way to college, when he was picked up for possession because he had the butt of a joint in his car,” Goins said. “He was put in prison for five years and couldn’t regain his college scholarship. My uncle was able to rebuild his life, but that’s our history. That’s partly where I get my passion from.”