Cannabis

Last Prisoner Project Gets People Out of Prison for Weed

Published

2 years ago

September 20, 2023

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We might have come a long way, but regardless of progress on some fronts; there’s still a lot of cannabis persecution going on. One organization is looking to fight the system, and get people out of prison for weed crimes. Read on to learn more about the Last Prisoner Project; how its working to get those incarcerated for weed out of prison; and what you can do to help.

Prison for weed

It used to be that prisons were chock full of weed smokers in the US. Yup, smoking a joint could mean sitting in lockup, and depending on who sent you (state or federal), this could mean years of time lost to life; and a multitude of problems thereafter getting jobs, housing, and a number of other basic life functions. A plant that mainly produces an intense sense of hunger and general well being, was enough to ruin a person’s life.

And it still is. In some parts of the world, you can get the death penalty, sometimes for relatively small amounts. In other parts, you’ll waste away in a prison cell; including in the US. There are way less people in prison now for cannabis, and none in federal prison for simple possession, since Biden pardoned all federal simple possession cases. But several states still hold weed as illegal for everything, and that means people sit in prison over it. In fact, this even happens in some legalized states that did not automatically release current prisoners upon passing legalization measures.

In terms of the recent pardon, it didn’t get anyone out of prison, technically, as no one was in prison for weed crimes federally; and it didn’t help those imprisoned on a state level. It didn’t stop new people from getting arrested, nor did it return the money taken in fines from those arrested previously, or stop new arrestees from having to pay fines. Though there aren’t numbers for exactly how much governments have stolen from simple possession case arrestees, we know it’s a lot; and that that part continues. In most ways, the pardon didn’t help at all.

Luckily, there are some organizations that are truly against the practice of jailing people for such crimes, and which want overall cannabis reform in the legal system. One organization has several programs set up to both push for reform, and to help get people with weed convictions, out of prison. It also provides different forms of assistance to help those hurt in all this; so they can get on with their lives in a productive way.

The Last Prisoner Project

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a nationally run, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization geared toward criminal justice reform for cannabis; under the premise that no one should be in prison for a cannabis crime. The organization was founded in 2019, and consists of experts in drug policy, education, and criminal justice; as well as people who have been impacted by current drug policy.

The statement from the group’s homepage: “Imagine sitting in a cell for years, decades, or even for life, convicted of an activity that is no longer a crime, while thousands of other people build intergenerational wealth doing exactly the same thing. That is the situation that tens of thousands of cannabis prisoners face today in the United States alone, while countless others languish in jails and prisons worldwide. The Last Prisoner Project has one singular mission: to set them free.”

Last Prisoner Project provides advocacy for prisoners

LPP partner Evidence sells products in evidence bags — Last Prisoner Project provides advocacy for prisoners

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Cannabis

White House Finally Comments On Marijuana Industry

Published

5 hours ago

April 1, 2025

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Part of the cannabis industry supported the new president, betting he was going to move and move quickly on cannabis – the White House finally commented.

The cannabis industry has been a boon for consumers, medical patients, veterans and legal states, but for the thousands of mom and pop businesses is has been a roller coaster. With a huge demand, it would seem to be easy money, but the federal, tax, and banking restrictions have made it difficult to grow and expand. Part of the industry were all for the new administration assuming they would support positive change, but many in the new cabinet and the House Speaker Mike Johnson are foes. Now the White House finally comments on marijuana industry…and it doesn’t show a clear path.

The administration’s current stance on marijuana reform is marked by inaction, despite campaign promises and earlier signals of support for cannabis-related reforms. A White House official recently confirmed that “no action is being considered at this time” regarding marijuana policy, leaving advocates and industry stakeholders uncertain about the administration’s priorities.

During his campaign, the resident expressed support for rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which would move it from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing restrictions on medical use and enabling cannabis businesses to access banking and tax benefits. However, since taking office, no concrete steps have been taken to advance this initiative. A DEA hearing on rescheduling, initially planned for January 2025, was postponed due to procedural appeals and remains unscheduled.

The president has also voiced support for state autonomy in cannabis policy and endorsed state-level legalization initiatives, such as Florida’s failed 2024 ballot measure for recreational marijuana. While this reflects a more favorable stance compared to his first term, his administration has yet to prioritize federal reforms like the SAFE Banking Act, which would facilitate banking services for cannabis businesses. Efforts to include such measures in a government funding bill late last year were unsuccessful.

The delay in federal action has significant implications for the cannabis industry. Rescheduling marijuana could alleviate financial burdens by eliminating restrictions under IRS Code Section 280E and promoting medical research. However, the stalled process leaves businesses navigating regulatory uncertainties and limited financial access.

While stakeholders continue lobbying for reform, the administration appears focused on other priorities such as immigration and foreign policy. Advocates hope the President will leverage his influence to advance cannabis reform, but for now, the issue remains sidelined. Until then the industry struggles and waits.

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Cannabis

This State’s Cannabis Revenue Keeps Pouring In

Published

1 day ago

March 31, 2025

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States are starting to scramble with looming budget deficients, but marijuana is a boon to some – especially one state.

The new federal administration is revamping how the government operates. With Doge, they are changing agencies and reducing services and support of states, which has left budget deficients in many. But some states have legal marijana and it has been a boon, for like alcohol…people are still consuming. States who are fully legal are making more money on weed than booze and this state’s cannabis revenue keeps pouring in. Missouri, the show me state, is being shown unexpected revenue.

RELATED: Mike Johnson And Marijuana

“Due to a strong cannabis market and effective, efficient regulation of that market,” Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, told The Independent this week, “the funds available for the ultimate beneficiaries of the cannabis regulatory program continue to outpace expectations.”

Funds will help veterans and other key projects. The other benefit is as seen in data from legal states, teen use is down so it frees up some other funds. Legal states are seeing benefits from legal cannabis including lower teen use and crime reduction.

States with legal cannabis are experiencing a significant boost in tax revenue, surpassing those generated by alcohol sales. This trend highlights the economic benefits of marijuana legalization, as cannabis markets expand and mature.

In California, cannabis excise taxes have consistently outperformed alcohol-related taxes, bringing in over double the revenue. Colorado has seen even more striking results, with marijuana tax revenues totaling seven times those of alcohol. Similarly, Massachusetts has collected more tax revenue from marijuana than alcohol since fiscal year 2021, marking a notable shift in state finances.

Nationally, legal cannabis states generated nearly $3 billion in excise taxes on marijuana in 2021—20% more than alcohol taxes. By 2024, total adult-use cannabis tax revenue exceeded $20 billion, with states like Illinois and Washington reporting record-breaking contributions. Illinois alone collected $451.9 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal year 2022—one-and-a-half times the revenue from alcohol.

The funds are being put to good use. States like Illinois are channeling marijuana tax dollars into mental health services and community programs, while Colorado has invested nearly $500 million into public education. California has allocated millions to nonprofits addressing the impacts of the war on drugs.

This growing revenue stream underscores the potential of cannabis legalization to support vital public services and bolster state economies. As more states embrace regulated marijuana markets, the financial benefits are expected to continue flourishing.

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Cannabis

Mixed Messages From The Feds About Cannabis

Published

4 days ago

March 28, 2025

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The federal administration is all over the board around fed cannabis policy…and millions of patients are worried.

The industry employees over 440,000 workers at all lives and is driven in a large part by mom and pop businesses. Millions use medical marijuana for health issues ranging from chronic pain to sleep. But there are mixed messages from the feds about cannabis, and people are very worried. The federal government’s stance on marijuana has become increasingly complex, as recent developments show conflicting approaches to the drug’s potential benefits and risks. On one hand, there’s a push for research into medical marijuana for veterans, while on the other, a campaign against cannabis use is being launched.

The juxtaposition of initiatives highlights the federal government’s inconsistent approach to marijuana policy. While some departments are exploring the potential benefits of cannabis, others are actively working to discourage its use. This dichotomy is further exemplified by ongoing legislative efforts. For instance, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has reintroduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it’s legal. Meanwhile, documents from an ongoing lawsuit suggest that the DEA may have weighted the marijuana rescheduling process to ensure rejection of moving the drug from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members. This initiative, driven by congressional efforts, aims to explore MDMA’s effectiveness in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) expressed pride in this development, stating that it could be a “game-changer” for service members battling these combat-related injuries.

Additionally, a bipartisan effort in Congress has been pushing for VA research on medical marijuana for PTSD and other conditions affecting veterans. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, introduced in both the Senate and House, would mandate studies on how cannabis affects the use of addictive medications and impacts various health outcomes for veterans.

In stark contrast to these research initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has partnered with an anti-cannabis nonprofit to launch a social media campaign targeting young people. The campaign, set to run ahead of April 20 (4/20), aims to “flood” Instagram with anti-cannabis content. The DEA is offering monetary incentives to students for creating and posting anti-THC videos, with payments ranging from $25 to $50 depending on the type of content produced.

This approach has raised eyebrows, as it seems to contradict the growing acceptance and legalization of marijuana across the United States. Critics argue that such campaigns may be out of touch with current societal trends and scientific understanding of cannabis.

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