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DENVER (KDVR) — Since the implementation of recreational marijuana dispensaries after legalization, the industry has spread its roots in the Mile High City and is taking the next step.

Last year, Denver overhauled its marijuana regulations to include licenses for delivery and hospitality. As a result, you can now have marijuana delivered to your home, and some businesses are getting ready to roll out a new model: consuming cannabis in their store.

But a big part of that overhaul was to embed social equity into the application process.

“Since we opened up the applications for consumption licenses a couple months ago, we’ve seen three applications that have been submitted,” Executive Director of Denver Excise and Licenses Molly Duplechian said.

Tetra Lounge in Denver is one of the applicants entering the home stretch of the process. It needs to pass inspection before it can open its business for public consumption.

Duplechian said several other parties have reached out with interest in applying for a license in the city’s cannabis consumption program. The department’s focus will be routing its process in social equity.

“We’ve evolved, we’ve changed and we’ve identified this area where we can improve and do better,” Duplechian said.

According to Denver’s Cannabis Business and Employment Opportunity Study, 74.6% of owners of licensed cannabis businesses within city and county limits are white, as are 68% of employees.

Hispanic, Latino and Spanish residents account for 12.7% of cannabis business owners and 12.1% of industry employees, while Black and African American residents make up 5.6% of ownership and 5.9% of industry employees.

As for how this industry will evolve over the next five years with delivery and consumption businesses becoming the norm, Duplechian said the sky is the limit.

“I think the opportunities are endless and we’re excited to see the different ideas that the applicants can come up with,” Duplechian said.

All the consumption license applicants need to go through a hearing process where the public can either support or oppose the new business in their neighborhood.