2% Giveback Grant Goes to

Last Prisoner Project

Life is full of tough decisions, which is why it’s nice when a simple one comes along. We respect and admire the social justice warriors of the Last Prisoner Project, so we made the obvious choice to support them as this year’s recipient of the H2 Talent Giveback Grant, a program designed to give back to our industry. 

LPP is at the forefront of organizations working to remedy the social injustice issues around cannabis. To us, they represent the intersection of so many people we’ve come to know and respect who have been criminalized, and the topic of cannabis criminal injustice that is near and dear to the industry. We gladly support them since their programs do an incredible job of helping cannabis prisoners become fully free.

The Impact of Injustice

Cannabis criminalization has touched the lives of many in our industry. We have been inspired and humbled as we’ve worked alongside Russ Hudson, an employee of our sister company Canna Advisors, who was arrested and jailed for cannabis cultivation and trafficking and has since made cannabis a career as well as a passion. I had the honor of getting to know Sparky Rose at the LPP benefit concert at MJ Unpacked 2022 in New York City. Sparky spent time in federal prison after his legally licensed MMJ operation was raided in 2008. And, of course, there’s LPP Co-Founder and “father of the legal cannabis industry” Steve DeAngelo, who has a felony conviction related to cannabis and has successfully defended numerous litigation attempts to close his Harborside dispensaries.

The Fight for Freedom

These are just a few of the stories from people who do not deserve the criminalization they received. However, for the many heartbreaking injustices we know about, there are scores of other stories from those who are still wrongfully behind bars.

Marginalized groups often feel the brunt of battles in the criminal justice system. Nowhere is that more evident than in the mass incarceration of people of color and the War on Drugs. Organizations like Last Prisoner Project are fighting to bring justice to those who are suffering from crimes involving a substance that is legal in most states in America.

Remembering Our Roots

We who have the freedom to operate legal cannabis businesses need to remember the advocacy movement that made it possible for us to turn a profit from the plant. The social justice element of the cannabis industry as a vital piece of positive change. Joining with organizations like Last Prisoner Project is essential to building an inclusive, unified industry that prioritizes righting the wrongs of the past and moves toward a future where no one is harmed or silenced. 

Our team is honored that 2% of our direct-placement revenue will support LPPs’ efforts to end cannabis-related incarceration and repair the devastating impact that prison sentences have had on communities, individuals, and families across the country. Contributing to this team of inspiring, hard-working people dedicated to helping those who have been harmed by the tyranny of injustice is a simple choice – and one that we hope many others will also choose.

Michelle Whitmore, Founding Partner