The University of Connecticut’s Cannabis Club has pledged to donate 25% of all fundraising proceeds to the Last Prisoner Project (LPP), a nonprofit organization with the mission of “reforming our criminal justice system through progressive drug policy,” the foundation’s website reads.
“The LPP has a very holistic approach, i.e. exonerating those in jail, as well as reintegrating those formerly in jail back into society,” Cannabis Club President Greg Friedman said. “Since selling weed up until ten years ago in certain states was a felony, these people, even if they are released, will forever be haunted by the fact that they are felons despite committing a victimless crime.”
Since 2019, the LPP has worked to free inmates charged with cannabis related crimes, which, despite being decriminalized in thirty-one states and the District of Columbia, accounts for at least 40,000 prisoners nationwide. Helped by the cannabis industry, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the letter writing efforts of the public, the Last Prisoner Project has supported over 290 incarcerated individuals and awarded grants to over 375 individuals for their reentry into society.
“We want to have a lasting impact on the community as a whole,” Cannabis Club Secretary Vincenzo Davis said. “Having an impact is important in bringing down the stigma. We’re in such a dynamic time right now with legalization being mixed nationally, and we’re able to help those people who sometimes get forgotten. We as students can act on making a difference, and this is our way to do it.”
Though the donor pledge is one of the Cannabis Club’s most recent activist measures, the club has been an ardent advocate of destigmatization and education since its creation in 2020.
“People really see cannabis in a narrow minded way, like, kids coming together and just getting high — everyone thought that. This [club] is an incredible opportunity to educate and share what cannabis can do. At the end of the day, in college, many people are exposed to weed. There’s alcohol edu, is there weed edu?” posed former Cannabis Club President Giovanni Sinta.
We want to have a lasting impact on the community as a whole. Having an impact is important in bringing down the stigma. We’re in such a dynamic time right now with legalization being mixed nationally, and we’re able to help those people who sometimes get forgotten. We as students can act on making a difference, and this is our way to do it.
Cannabis Club Secretary Vincenzo Davis
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there, that’s what causes hysteria and stereotypes. It’s our mission to educate,” Sinta added.
The Cannabis Club’s strides in community outreach are the product of much time, money and labor by the organization’s dedicated members. Reflecting on their humble origins, Sinta, who presided over the club during his junior and senior years, commented on the struggle for legitimacy in the eyes of UConn’s administration and student body.
“We didn’t even have a room to go into. I ended up being the only person that went to the last meeting of the semester, and at that point, the vice president was graduating. By default, I was the only person asked to be vice president, and I was like, ‘I would love to, I would absolutely love to.’ I saw the potential of the club, this could be something amazing,” Sinta said.
From a little known group of passionate horticulture enthusiasts whose advertisements amounted to little more than sparse flyers in the College of Agriculture, the UConn Cannabis Club now boasts 247 UConntact members and an ever-increasing program of events.
“It’s been so amazing watching the growth and seeing the change,” said former Secretary Sofia Acosta. “Now we’re a tier II organization and we hold some weight.”
In addition to the 25% of proceeds directed to the LPP, the Cannabis Club executive board has announced tentative plans to donate another 25% to an activist organization aligned with the mission of the club.
To support the Cannabis Club, interested students are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings, held on Fridays from 3:20 to 4:20 p.m. in the UConn School of Business.
“It’s a fun, educational, social experience. We’re very inclusive, anyone can show up when they want and they’ll be welcomed with open arms,” Sebastian April, Cannabis Club Vice President and cannabis cultivation minor, said.
H/T: https://dailycampus.com
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