While it may seem unbelievable given the groundswell of support for legal cannabis in the United States over recent years, there are still individuals serving life sentences in prison just for dealing pot. As states like California and cities such as Seattle move to wipe criminal records of convictions for cannabis in the era of legal marijuana, U.S. federal law remains woefully stuck in the past — incarcerating otherwise law-abiding citizens for activities now considered legitimate business in 29 states and the nation’s capital.
In the first episode of MERRY JANE’s new docuseries Prisoners of Prohibition, we meet lawyers, activists, and family members fighting for the freedom of nonviolent marijuana offenders; discover how conspiracy law has been used to convict and deliver harsh sentences to low-level players in trafficking cases, rather than the kingpins truly responsible; and learn why these prisoners are so deserving of legal forgiveness for their cannabis “crimes,” now that most Americans don’t even consider their acts to be criminal. Tune in and see what you can do to help these individuals return to the lives they left behind.
