Cannabis: Illicit Drug to Essential Medicine
Across the country, as the COVID-19 pandemic closes all non-essential operations, it becomes clear where cannabis stands in the eye of the masses. State after state, government leaders have made the decision that medical cannabis dispensaries are essential operations.
This is quite a change from only a few years ago, when cannabis possession resulted in heavy penalties, including jail sentences. Now we find ourselves in a world where cannabis is considered vital medicine—a necessity along the same lines as buying groceries, picking up prescriptions, and stopping for gas.
While it’s an empowering shift for those currently employed in state-sanctioned cannabis businesses, it is also heart-wrenching for many who were in the field before the government changed its tune. This includes those still imprisoned for cannabis charges and the extensive population of people whose felony charges for cannabis possession still haunt their records.
We hope after the dust settles and the global pandemic comes to an end, many aspects of the cannabis industry will be reassessed by the government, including cannabis crime forgiveness and the proper treatment of those working in the cannabis industry.
Accordingly, we hope that a different respect is given to all the “essential personnel” of our country. As we are seeing firsthand, they are the true foundation of a healthy society. May we not soon forget that the medical professionals, first responders, grocery store employees, sanitation workers, drugstore staff, and dispensary workers are who we truly depend on in times of crisis. We are so thankful for our employees and all essential employees who are still showing up to perform their essential role even in the midst of a pandemic.
If you are curious about more information regarding the fight to help repair harms of the criminalization of cannabis, below is a list of resources. Whether you choose to donate, advocate, or educate, we hope we can simply raise more awareness!
Last Prisoner Project
Excerpt from Last Prisoner Project website:
“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 over 40,000 cannabis prisoners face today in the United States alone, while countless others languish in jails and prisons worldwide. The Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit coalition of cannabis industry leaders, executives, and artists dedicated to bringing restorative justice to the cannabis industry.”
Cage-Free Cannabis
Excerpt from Cage Free Cannabis website:
“The War on Drugs has disproportionately harmed communities of color. People have lost jobs, education, housing, their liberty, their families, and their lives to this War. Now they deserve equity, justice, and repair: ownership of cannabis businesses, full and automatic expungement, and community reinvestment of tax revenue and corporate philanthropy. We help cannabis companies, patients, and consumers engage with this work.”