I work in the cannabis industry with exposure to investors, large corporations, big trade shows, and above all, promising growth opportunities. In this large and prospering business environment, it is easy to forget people are still in jail for possession of cannabis – in the United States. Forty-thousand. Today.
I usually stick to writing about our expertise – numbers, electricity, energy rebates. However, I believe it is important to recognize the racism surrounding cannabis both before and after legalization. The criminalization of cannabis put many–mostly non-white–people behind bars, grossly disturbing their families and communities. Black people are 3.6 times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana possession, despite similar usage rates (source: ACLU). In the meantime, white people who consumed or cultivated in equal percentages got by unscathed – statistically speaking. Then, with legalization, it seems that predominantly white businesses people jumped in and were able to profit as early adopters.
Seinergy is a monthly supporter of the Last Prisoner Project, who actively works to release and support people in the United States who have been imprisoned for cannabis, and to share their stories. I have both a deep appreciation that these individuals are freed from an unjust sentence, and sorrow for the time they shouldn’t have spent behind bars.
To my friends and colleagues working in and around Cannabis, please don’t lose sight of the historical context of this current business opportunity. Please support LPP and others working towards justice and reform. This work is not yet complete.
