Last Prisoner Project highlighted some startling realities despite recent promises and movement at the federal level to loosen laws around the prohibition of cannabis.
One year after President Joe Biden pledged to expunge certain low-level cannabis convictions, Last Prisoner Project released its State of Cannabis Justice Report last week. While promises have been made, has anyone actually been released from prison?
On Oct. 6, 2022, Biden announced historic steps to advance the end of cannabis prohibition in the country by pardoning over 6,500 individuals for low-level cannabis offenses. And while it was a baby step in the right direction—”no one was actually released from prison,” Last Prisoner Project announced.
In addition, President Biden initiated a scheduling review of cannabis to lower it from Schedule I to Schedule III. But unless cannabis is fully descheduled, it would also not free any of the approximately 3,000 people who are still incarcerated at the federal level for cannabis.
To mark the 1-year anniversary of @potus‘ cannabis proclamation, we are urging further action with the release of our landmark State of Cannabis Justice Report.
https://t.co/zTiBOMR0DZ pic.twitter.com/pUWrFKw6Su
— Last Prisoner Project (@lastprisonerprj) October 5, 2023
“Justice is not achieved through mere legalization alone but by undoing the harms caused by cannabis prohibition,” the report announcement reads. “Twenty-four states have enacted cannabis-specific record clearance laws, and ten states have enacted cannabis-specific resentencing laws. Our report allows the public to compare, contrast, and learn more about each state’s effort to ameliorate the consequences of cannabis conviction.”
While a year has passed since Biden’s pledge, few things have changed for cannabis laws in the U.S.
“As we mark the first anniversary of President Biden’s cannabis proclamation, Last Prisoner Project reaffirms its dedication to the pursuit of justice, equity, and compassion,” the announcement continues.” We remain committed to dismantling the harmful legacy of the War on Drugs and ensuring that those affected by cannabis prohibition are not forgotten.”
What You Can Do
There are several ways LPP provides volunteers with tools to take action with small but effective deeds that can change the life for individuals impacted by the drug war.
Most people incarcerated for cannabis are convicted at the state level, it turns out. That’s why LPP wants volunteers to send thousands of letters from the public urging their governors to grant cannabis clemency through our Pardons to Progress campaign.
LPP is also uplifting the voices of specific people who are harmed by cannabis criminalization through their Pen to Right History campaign. This includes people like Richeda Ashmeade, whose father is serving a 22-year sentence for cannabis. LPP commends the steps taken by President Biden so far, but they also want to urge the President to “right history by granting broad cannabis clemency–which he could achieve with the stroke of a pen.”
LPP focuses on three key criminal justice reform initiatives: prisoner release, cannabis record clearance, and reentry support.
Arrests Continue
Mutulu Olugbala, aka M-1, of dead prez, was appointed to LPP’s Board of Directors, and performed in collaboration with LPP last March.
He pointed out that people need to see the bigger picture. “It’s plain to see that the U.S. agenda of mass incarceration is still their priority,” M-1 told High Times last June. “This is glaring due to the changed public perception and recent decriminalization of cannabis. These contradictions expose the depth of injustice in this country as the undeniable power of plant medicine continues to grow.”
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, state and local law enforcement agencies reported 170,856 arrests for cannabis possession in 2021, slightly down from over 226,000 in 2020.
There are many examples of lives that have been ruined by the federal prohibition of cannabis, but some progress has been made.Some progress has been made.. Richard DeLisi served 32 years of a 99-year sentence for a nonviolent crime. He was released from prison on Dec. 8, 2020. But during his time in prison, DeLisi’s wife and other family members passed away. His daughter was paralyzed, and he missed many memories. At age 71, he was released from prison in Florida, making him the longest-serving, nonviolent cannabis prisoner in the U.S. People like DeLisi deserve to have an early hand in legal cannabis, probably more than anyone.
Another example is California cannabis prisoner Luke Scarmazzo was freed from prison on Feb. 3. “Today, after serving nearly 15 years in prison for operating a cannabis dispensary, I was granted my freedom,” Scarmazzo wrote on his Facebook page. “The feeling is surreal. We’ve worked toward this day for so long. This was a huge victory for my family, friends, community and the entire cannabis movement. I’ll take a moment to enjoy this, but make no mistake, there’s still much work to be done—my people need to be free—and that hard work begins now.
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