#YesOn3 and Last Prisoner Project: Ending Cannabis Prohibition

Real Voices from the Last Prisoner Project

At Trulieve, we believe no one should be jailed for cannabis use or possession. As the opportunity to end prohibition in our home state of Florida this November draws near, we’re highlighting real voices of those affected by the criminalization of cannabis.

With medical or adult-use programs in more than half of U.S. states, the injustice of criminal charges for cannabis is more striking than ever. Prohibition still affects millions of people who are incarcerated or have criminal records tied to the plant.

For Stephanie Shepard, a first-time, non-violent offender, a conviction of conspiracy to distribute marijuana in the state of New York in 2010 resulted in a ten-year sentence to the federal prison system. After serving nine years, she was released and placed on probation for an additional five.

Shepard now serves as Director of Advocacy for the Last Prisoner Project (LPP). In her role, she adamantly advocates daily for restorative justice for those who have suffered and continue to suffer as she has.

Individuals with criminal records often experience consequences that impact their lives for years after serving a sentence – like reduced access to housing, employment, education, and public assistance, and the inability to vote. For many, a conviction for even a low-level drug offense can be disastrous to livelihood and opportunity.

Stephanie now serves as Director of Advocacy for the Last Prisoner Project (LPP). In her role, she adamantly advocates daily for restorative justice for those who have suffered and continue to suffer as she has.

Individuals with criminal records often experience consequences that impact their lives for years after serving a sentence – like reduced access to housing, employment, education, and public assistance, and the inability to vote. For many, a conviction for even a low-level drug offense can be disastrous to livelihood and opportunity.

“When I got home, I realized I was free of that circumstance, but I had a whole new set of obstacles that I had to overcome,” says Shepard, “And that’s where LPP comes in.” Their programming revolves around release and legal programs, constituent support, reentry services, and policy change.

LPP reports an estimated 40,000 Americans remain incarcerated for cannabis-related convictions. FBI data shows nearly a quarter million cannabis-related arrests in 2022 alone, 92% of which were for simple possession. That’s not even accounting for the millions charged in the decades prior and years since.

And last year, prosecutors in Florida filed more than 16,000 charges against people for possession of small amounts of cannabis. But now, a proposed amendment would allow Floridians age 21+ to possess up to three ounces of recreational cannabis, putting an end to criminal prosecution for possession and consumption of the plant. Amendment 3 is slated to appear on the state ballot in the November 2024 general election and will be up to voters to decide.

“Being inside as state after state legalized, that's where it first started to really hit me,” Shepard recalls. “Seeing the industry grow on TV and on news reports, I thought, wait a minute, the same thing they are delivering to your door is the same thing that some people are serving life in prison for. I started to get angry, and I started to get motivated to join this cause.”

With the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. is estimated to reach over $50.7 billion annual sales by the end of 2028, it now finds itself uniquely positioned to help heal the wounds of the past. Efforts to provide resources that promote opportunities for employment, ownership, and greater restorative justice have never been more pressing.

“I do feel that as an industry, we have a responsibility to give back because it looks very different today than it did. But we still see people serving long sentences for cannabis, so there has to be recognition of that,” says Shepard. “I'm happy the industry is moving in the direction it is, but it's also scary, because the more normalized cannabis becomes and the more there are beautiful dispensaries where people can go in, pick up, and leave with it – people are forgetting. I meet cannabis patients and users every day who don't even realize how many people are in prison for it.”

Trulieve is proud to have partnered with the Last Prisoner Project since 2020. We continue to support LPP through donations, volunteer efforts, and ongoing giveback initiatives. Together, we've held expungement clinics to help applicants have their records expunged or sealed and facilitated letter-writing drives to provide hope to those going through the ordeal of incarceration, taking steps toward expanding legal intervention, public education, and advocating for policy change.

With all the work left to do, the organization's spokesperson says, “We want to use this momentum to let lawmakers know they can put an end to the hypocrisy of cannabis criminalization, as the state has made millions in taxes off medical marijuana already."

“It would benefit Florida to legalize cannabis in order to stop people from being arrested for victimless cannabis offenses and causing further harm to already vulnerable communities," says Shepard.

As Floridians turn out to the ballot in November, Trulieve and LPP are hopeful that a transformed legal adult use industry brings a massive opportunity for awareness and change.

To learn more about Amendment 3 and efforts to make adult use cannabis a reality in Florida, visit the Smart and Safe Florida campaign on www.smartandsafeflorida.com.