I feel like people are massively downplaying the mission statement and potential impact of this organization because they’re caught up on the mental image they’ve conjured of a prisoner being forced to grow marijuana while being imprisoned for selling marijuana. That’s not at all what is happening.

As you mention, a decommissioned prison is being used as a legal grow site. The non-profit organization running the operation has the intention of using the income generated from this to free people that are were imprisoned for doing this very same thing before a legal pathway was possible.

It’s crazy to me that people were not set free once we flipped the switch and decided that selling marijuana was something that should be taxed and regulated. Yes, I get that it’s still possible to sell weed illegally if you don’t have the proper permits. I also understand that these people broke laws when that’s what the law was. But it just feels wrong. Especially considering this was a once a way for people with limited income opportunities to take control of their financial future, and now the people profiting from this are mostly people with stable finances that are looking to increase their profits.

Anyway, I applaud Last Prisoner Project and I think the idea of using a former prison has helped spread their message. I just wish there was a concise way to explain where the irony actually lies.