LAST PRISONER PROJECT

The Last Prisoner Project won’t stop until every Cannabis ‘criminal’ is free.

THE LAST PRISONER. The phrase carries its own gravitational pull. The weight, the importance, the finality of the word ‘last’ - a terminal statement that means ‘beyond this point, there will be no more.’ Here in the world’s most profusely incarcerated nation - where prison is a multi-billion-dollar, profitable industry that people actually buy stock in - the idea of a ‘last’ prisoner seems unattainable.But that’s exactly what Last Prisoner Project strives to achieve. Thousands upon thousands of nonviolent Cannabis offenders languish in cell block purgatory for committing acts now deemed not only legal, but necessary in many states - and the LPP refuses to rest until the last of those prisoners walks free.

Founded in 2019 by legendary Cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo, LPP seeks not mere clemency and commutation, but the eradication of all non-violent Cannabis convictions - past, present and future.

It’s a battle that’s been fought in the street and on protest frontlines for decades, and now that Cannabis is available for legal curbside pickup in large swaths of the nation, the LPP hopes to bring another level of organization to the movement - employing political intervention and advocacy, celebrity awareness campaigns and industry-driven financial firepower in the fight.

CASUALTIES IN AN UNJUST WAR

A

ccording to a comprehensive incarceration study conducted by the ACLU in 2010 (and updated in 2018), Cannabis offenses account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States. And those arrests disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities.

Last Prisoner Project actively advocates for dozens of prisoners currently behind

“AS THE SAYING GOES: WHEN THE DISPENSARY LOOKS LIKE AN APPLE STORE, IT’S TIME TO RELEASE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PRISON.”

bars for possession and distribution of Cannabis, providing legal and financial assistance and amplifying individual stories in order to shine a spotlight on the injustice of incarcerating nonviolent Cannabis consumers.

Delving into the stories listed on the LPP website, certain common threads weave through the narratives. All are charged either with possession or nonviolent distribution-related activities. Many are racial minorities or are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. And all of them are currently serving or have served excessive sentences.

One of the highest profile Cannabis POWs on LPP’s list is Michael Thompson: A Flint, Michigan resident 25 years into a 40-to-60-year sentence stemming from a 1996 bust in which he sold Cannabis to an informant. The case was exacerbated by prior nonviolent offenses and the fact that after his arrest, two guns were found when executing a warrant to search the then 45-year-old’s home. (Thompson asserted that one gun was an antique family heirloom and the other belonged to Thompson’s wife). At this point, Thompson will be well into his 80s when he can qualify for parole.

I F Y O U ’ R E N O T A N G R Y , YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

The way LPP Managing Director Mary Bailey sees it, everyone who benefits from Cannabis should be infuriated by the imprisonment of Thompson and other nonviolent offenders.

“Anyone who has been incarcerated for Cannabis is a victim of unjust laws,” Bailey said.

“They are the pioneers of this industry and they are the experts in the field. Cannabis has been deemed essential in the midst of a global crisis, and it’s an absolute travesty that there are so many people incarcerated.” E nlisting the help of influential figures such as Snoop Dogg, GZA and Chelsea Handler, LPP raises public awareness of cases like Thompson’s, mobilizing the citizenry to apply pressure to policy makers to change unjust laws and fight for clemency for current prisoners.

The organization itself continues to add starpower to its ranks, with advocates such as Melissa

Etheridge, Stephen and Damian Marley, and

Oregon’s own celebrity Cannabis business owner

Jim Belushi currently sitting on its board.

And it’s working. For instance, Bailey said the

LPP has engaged with more than 130,000 concerned citizens via FreeMichaelThompson.com in a drive to pressure Michigan Governor Gretchen

Whitmer to award Thopmson with clemency.

They haven’t won the fight yet, but with increased awareness, Bailey feels optimistic about their chances.

TEAMING UP AGAINST INJUSTICE

As the saying goes: When the dispensary looks like an Apple store, it’s time to release a lot of people from prison. It’s only fitting that dispensaries themselves get involved in the fight.

“This past year, we’ve really been looking at Cannabis policy reform in our country,” said Emily Carideo, Marketing Manager for Golden Leaf Holdings, a company that operates businesses in multiple states including the Chalice Farms chain of dispensaries in Oregon. ”Once we saw (Last Prisoner Project’s) mission, it really resonated with us.”

Chalice and Golden Leaf Holdings recently committed to donating monthly to the LPP, and to using their retail and social platforms to help amplify the organization’s message.

“Once you hear those stories directly, it’s pretty difficult to not realize that you need to do something,” Carideo said.

Many other regional and national Cannabis and industry adjacent brands have committed to raising money and awareness for the cause, including Oregon’s East Fork Farms, Buddies, PuffCo, Dr. Bronner’s, PAX, Wana and more. The full list of companies is available by visiting LastPrisonerProject.org.

The way Bailey sees it, the more awareness, amplification and financial firepower LPP brings to the fight, the better chance the organization has of achieving justice for those still unjustly held for nonviolent Cannabis offenses.

It’s a long way to ‘last’ - but the Cannabis community can get there together, one act of clemency at a time. LASTPRISONERPROJE C T. O R G