Apotheca Dispensary Partners with The Last Prisoner Project to Advocate for Cannabis Prisoners' Freedom

The collaboration between Apotheca dispensary and The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) underscores a shared commitment to cannabis reform and the liberation of individuals incarcerated for non-violent cannabis offenses. Lee VanTine, owner and CEO of Apotheca, expressed the moral imperative to support those imprisoned for activities now legal in many states, emphasizing the disparity in justice faced by communities of color.

Stephanie Shepard, LPP Director of Advocacy, pointed to the historical roots of cannabis prohibition, tracing back to the era of Reefer Madness and the racial biases that fueled anti-cannabis legislation. The enduring stigma from this period has led to a criminal justice system that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, with sentences that often do not reflect current legal standards.

Shepard's personal experience with the system, including a decade-long prison sentence for a non-violent cannabis offense, highlights the human cost of these laws. Her story, particularly the denial of a final visit with her dying father, illustrates the profound personal and familial toll of cannabis criminalization.

The partnership aims to address these injustices by advocating for the descheduling of cannabis and the reevaluation of sentences for non-violent offenders. Apotheca's contribution to LPP is a step toward rectifying the wrongs of a system built on misinformation and bigotry, with the ultimate goal of achieving justice and freedom for those unfairly imprisoned.

For more about the Last Prisoner Project, visit https://lastprisonerproject.org/takeaction. For more about Apotheca, visit https://www.apotheca.org/giving.