Simply buying a pack of rolling papers can make an impact in the lives of prisoners who are currently behind bars for nonviolent, victimless cannabis-related convictions.
Monday Vibes, a rolling paper brand created by rapper and entrepreneur Berner, announced it has teamed up with Last Prisoner Project (LPP) to launch Release Papers, papers that advocate on behalf of four specific individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related convictions.
This includes some of the most cruel and hypocritical prison sentences that somehow still stand, such as in the case of Edwin Rubis—who did essentially the same thing that licensed distributors now do in dozens of states—but received the equivalent of a life sentence with 40 years behind bars.
Hector “Ruben” McGurk, on the other hand, delivered cannabis in tractors, was vilified in the media as a “drug kingpin,” and was sentenced to life after a hung jury failed to find him guilty the first time. Moe Taher and Ricardo Ashmeade also are both serving over 20 years each for cannabis-related crimes.
"Today, many people in legalized states take freely consuming cannabis for granted,” Stephanie Shepard, LPP Board Member and Director of Advocacy, tells Forbes in an email.
“The goal of Release Papers is to remind consumers of the people that paved the way for this industry but are still being unjustly punished for the same action. An insert with a constituent's name is included in each pack, which makes the user stop, reflect, and take action before they roll one up for justice."
