Cannabis company discusses Norwich needs with community leaders
Jun. 12—NORWICH — Officials from the city's first cannabis retail dispensary held an online forum with community leaders Monday to hear how it can help improve neighborhoods adversely impacted by the country's "war on drugs."
During the hourlong forum, hosted by Zen Leaf, which will open a cannabis retail dispensary at 606 W. Main St., company officials asked how they can help address community needs.
When the General Assembly legalized recreational use of cannabis, it included a mandate that cities, neighborhoods and people disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs benefit from revenue generated from legalized cannabis sales.
City residents and leaders of community activist groups strongly emphasized the need for job training and jobs, including employment at Zen Leaf's retail store. They asked the company to invest in business development efforts in the city.
Ryan Ewing, compliance vice president for Zen Leaf's parent company, Verano, said well over half of the people already employed at Zen Leaf are from Norwich, including store general manager Brittany Hart, a lifelong Norwich resident and the official Disproportionately Impacted Area partner for the store's state license.
Zen Leaf representatives said the store will employ 30 to 35 people and hiring is ongoing. They invited interested people to go to the store and apply in person. There is no date yet for the store's opening, said Samantha Kramer, who works in the licensing and regulatory office at Verano.
Bobbie Braboy asked about the store's efforts to hire an ethnically diverse workforce, along with ensuring that workers live in drug-impacted communities. Ewing said he could not give specifics but said the company is proud of the diverse group of employees assembled thus far.
Beyond the store itself, Kramer said, Zen Leaf wants to support Norwich's neighborhoods that have been hurt economically by drug enforcement and incarceration.
"We would like to make some commitments to give back to the social equity causes in the area," Kramer said at the start of Monday's forum, attended by about a dozen guests, along with several Verano staff. "As a cannabis company, we really want to find initiatives, organizations, individuals that we can help support..."
Participants offered several specific recommendations and areas needing assistance such as downtown, Greeneville, Taftville and portions of the West Side and Route 82. Jobs and job training are areas of great need, they said, as is investment in small businesses to help turn around depressed neighborhoods and address blighted, abandoned buildings. They asked the company to help support local public arts projects and promote Norwich's rich history.
Shiela Hayes, who has been active in Norwich education and youth advocacy for decades, said Norwich should work to promote its history, diverse culture and art. She said promoting that rich history could bring tourism visitors and revenue to the city.
Hayes and Judith Post, a member of the Greeneville Neighborhood Committee, asked how the group would address educating youths about avoiding cannabis use. Kramer said state laws are strict and prohibit the industry from marketing its products, logos or packaging to youth. So, Zen Leaf and Verano will not sponsor youth sports or events.
Company officials offered to reach out to those organizations and to programs that provide drug awareness education to youth.
Lucas Pimentel, CEO of Mosaic Coalition based at Foundry 66 shared workspace facility run by the Norwich Community Development Corp., said the war on drugs "shattered" families and decayed neighborhoods. Once a person had a criminal drug record, he said that person lost upward economic mobility. Houses and commercial buildings became blighted and abandoned, he added.
Pimentel said his organization has plans to revive several blighted buildings on Franklin Street and is looking for investors to help support small businesses that could move into the buildings.
"We can't do it all by ourselves," Pimentel said. "We need partners."
