AWH!
Ascend Wellness Holdings
In recent weeks, nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality have drawn attention to the stark racial disparities within the cannabis industry. Advocates have rightfully pointed out the fact that Black individuals are almost four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession and five times more likely to go to prison compared to white individuals, even though both demographics consume the plant at roughly the same rate. It’s no secret that cannabis laws have been historically used by law enforcement to target Black and brown communities. While white entrepreneurs are currently able to legally operate cannabis cultivation and retail businesses, a disproportionate number of Black Americans are still incarcerated for selling the same plant. To make matters even worse, most of these individuals are barred from working in the legal industry even after they are released from prison because of their criminal records.
Ascend Wellness Holdings, or AWH, the leading private multi-state operator (MSO) in the U.S., believes that the onus is now on legal corporations to tackle cannabis criminal justice reform. Earlier this week, the company became the first MSO to match customer donations to Last Prisoner Project (LPP), the most visible nonprofit organization dedicated to clemency and expungement, re-entry programs and advocacy for individuals with cannabis convictions.
AWH is committed to raising a total of $250,000 for Last Prisoner Project initiatives by the end of the year. Starting on July 1, the operator will launch a three tiered approach to garner social awareness and provide financial support for LPP. AWH retailers in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts and New Jersey will ask customers to voluntarily donate one dollar to the organization at checkout and offer participating customers entry into a monthly raffle for a gift certificate prize. Local retailers will raise awareness for LPP by providing customers with postcards that feature the stories of individuals who have been harmed by the criminalization of cannabis.
The inception of this program began at the executive level. AWH Founder Abner Kurtin was compelled to leverage his company’s influence and resources to create a more equitable and just cannabis industry after learning about Michael Thompson, a Black Michigan man currently serving a 60 year sentence for selling cannabis in the 1990s.
“Legal companies can no longer stand idly by and profit off of cannabis while individuals like Michael Thompson are essentially serving a life sentence,” said Kurtin. “This is the largest financial commitment made to Last Prisoner Project by an MSO, and we are proud to lead the way towards corporate responsibility and providing greater financial commitments to LPP from the industry.”
Executives also recognized that tangible cannabis justice extends beyond clemency and must offer formerly incarcerated individuals a seat at the table. The company was especially determined to partner with Last Prisoner Project because of the organization’s re-entry and training programs.
“As part of our company ethos, we’ve built external local partnerships to recruit and hire employees who come through re-entry programs, and we offer record-sealing clinics, but we needed to do something bigger and more impactful, said Andrea Cabral,” CEO of Ascend Mass. “The harm caused by the over-policing and over-prosecution of Black and brown people, especially for cannabis, is ongoing and for many as relentless as it’s ever been. LPP’s precise mission to change laws, change policies, build job skills and support networks is what ultimately drew us to the organization.”
LPP logo on black (1)
Last Prisoner Project
In the coming months, AWH will incorporate Last Prisoner Project donations in all future dispensary launches and initiate an e-commerce and text message campaign to benefit LPP. The company is also planning to roll out a campaign among Illinois retailers that will name a flower strain after a local LPP client, highlight the individual’s life story and donate a portion of product sales back to the individual.
While the fate of cannabis legal reform is still uncertain in this political climate, companies like AWH are taking actionable steps to move the needle forward for the entire industry. As corporate advocacy in the cannabis justice space gains more traction, companies aiming to rectify these systemic injustices will likely turn to AWH’s leadership for guidance. MSOs, and all legal businesses, have a unique opportunity to showcase the industry’s progressive and inclusive spirit through these long-awaited equity initiatives.