Kyle Page's journey from incarceration to advocacy is a story of resilience and transformation. Growing up in a predominantly African American neighborhood and attending high school in a largely caucasian area, he found a sense of community through skateboarding and cannabis culture. His life took a dramatic turn when he was arrested at 18 for possessing small amounts of cannabis, leading to a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Later, a harsher 6-year cannabis-related charge in Kansas resulted in more prison time. Prison was a dehumanizing and dangerous experience for Kyle. The stigma of b ..read more

Annual fundraising event and the Native Roots 2023 CSR Impact Report highlight a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Sustainability; Wellness; and Community DENVER (June 10, 2024) – Native Roots Cannabis Co., Colorado’s favorite independent dispensary brand , hosted its third annual charity golf tournament, securing a $55,000 donation to help the Last Prisoner Project , a non-profit focused on freeing non-violent cannabis prisoners and repairing the discriminatory criminal justice practices of the War on Drugs.  According to the Last Prisoner Project, nearly 16 mill ..read more

Sarah Gersten, Executive Director of Last Prisoner Project, said, "As President Biden takes this crucial step towards cannabis reclassification, we acknowledge the progress made in recognizing the failures of our past approach. Yet, rescheduling alone won't rectify the injustices endured by countless individuals affected by cannabis criminalization. While we commend efforts to advance progress and reduce barriers, true justice requires more. We stand firm in our commitment to advocating for complete descheduling, retroactive relief, and comprehensive legalization. Every step forward must be a ..read more

Originally published as an op-ed in The Crime Reporter . Across the nation, we’ve seen an exponential expansion in jurisdictions attempting to pass legislation to decriminalize certain drugs–most recently psychedelics. Since 2019, 25 states have considered 74 psychedelic reform bills, 10 of which were successfully enacted. Currently, there are 32 pieces of active psychedelics legislative initiatives, and now, a bill to legalize certain naturally occurring psychedelics in California is headed to Governor Newsom’s desk. This progress comes on the heels of the past decade's monumental shift in ..read more

As millions celebrated Mother’s Day, LPP constituent and mother Melissa Charran spent the day behind bars. Like countless other families impacted by the War on Drugs, Melissa’s son is growing up without both of his parents. In a letter to LPP, Melissa shares her story: “It is truly unbelievable to be sitting here, in federal prison, for something many folks on the outside are building businesses out of. That was, and still is, a dream of mine—to own and operate my own brand within the cnnabis industry. “I was charged in Denver, Colorado, where I lived at the time with my other half, Eric ..read more

After Christian Reichert was sentenced to 23 years in prison for cannabis, his mother Tina would stop at nothing to bring him home. This Mother’s Day, please consider donating to support all mothers impacted by cannabis prohibition—both at home and behind bars. His mother Tina shared this statement:⁣ ⁣ ”I just want to thank everyone that has helped Christian, I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, support and generosity. We are truly grateful and could not have gotten prepared for him without the help of so many and the help we received from organizations like The Last Prisoner Project ..read more

This week, Senators Booker, Schumer, and Wyden reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), comprehensive legislation that would legalize cannabis federally, expunge cannabis records, and release cannabis prisoners.  Here are just a few highlights to help breakdown this bill: CAOA, if passed, could finally decriminalize cannabis on the federal level. Federal courts would have 1 year to expunge or seal arrests, convictions, and juvenile delinquency adjudications for most non-violent federal cannabis offenses. They'd also be required to educate recipients on t ..read more

President Joe Biden made a  statement Wednesday announcing a decision to pardon 11 people convicted of non-violent drug charges and commuted the sentences of five others. "America is a nation founded on the promise of second chances," he said . "We also recommit to building a criminal justice system that lives up to those ideals and ensures that everyone receives equal justice under law." Despite this positive use of his clemency powers, President Biden again failed to include any people still in prison at the federal level for cannabis offenses which is estimated to be at least 3,000 i ..read more

Listen on:  iHeartRadio  |  Pandora  |  Spotify  |  RSS On March 8, 2016, Officer Nicholas Blake became suspicious of two vehicles traveling together on Interstate 70 toward Manhattan, KS due to their appearance and registration inconsistencies. He suspected they were involved in drug trafficking, with one acting as a decoy. Following a series of stops and surveillances by multiple law enforcement officers, a considerable amount of marijuana and methamphetamine was found in one of the vehicles leading to the arrest of Donte Westmoreland and others. Westmore ..read more

In a significant development in the realm of cannabis legislation, the Last Prisoner Project has thrown its support behind the bipartisan Harnessing Opportunity by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act. This crucial legislation aims to rectify the injustices caused by cannabis convictions, particularly in states where cannabis has been legalized or decriminalized. Introduced initially in the House by Congressman Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) in 2023, the HOPE Act sought to address the pervasive barriers faced by individuals burdened with cannabis-relat ..read more