Massachusetts cannabis equity businesses get state money after years of waiting

Cannabis social equity businesses are finally set to see an infusion of state money after years of waiting.

The Healey-Driscoll administration announced Tuesday that 50 grants, ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, have been distributed to Massachusetts cannabis businesses through the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund.

The Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund was created in August 2022 as part of a major cannabis bill. The fund was intended to collect 15% of marijuana sales taxes in order to help entrepreneurs from communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs.

But a year later, the fund was still empty due to problems with how the money could be transferred. In September, Gov. Maura Healey included a fix for that transfer mechanism as part of her fiscal 2023 supplemental budget, which was signed in early December.