Freedom Grams

Protesters march as a part of the Annual Fifth Avenue Pot Parade, demanding legalization of cannabis in New York City on July 10, 1999.

Now that cannabis is freely available and profitable in the U.S., it’s important to remember the people who continue to carry the weight of cannabis prohibition and criminalization from the yesteryears.

0.1

Cannabis in the Mainstream

Person holds up handmade protest-sign demanding legalization of cannabis.

Cannabis retailer showcases flower product in dispensary.

Due to legalization efforts, cannabis use has become widespread and more socially accepted. Every third American lives in a state where the use of cannabis is completely legal.

Majority of states have made cannabis legal for medical purposes, with more to come. As history has shown, this was not always the case.

© Wayne Miller / Magnum Photos — Person lights a joint with a matchstick in Chicago, Illinois, c.a. 1948.

Cannabis in the Mainstream

OF ALL AMERICAN ADULTS,

DUE TO WIDE
DESTIGMATIZATION,

INDEPENDENT OF POLITICAL
PREFERENCES,

HAVE SMOKED CANNABIS.

CANNABIS USERS DON’T HIDE
THEIR USAGE.

OF AMERICAN ADULTS SUPPORT
CANNABIS LEGALIZATION.

Percent

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0.2

The War on Drugs

President Nixon points while taking questions during a rare press conference in Washington, D.C. on December 10, 1970.

On 27 October 1970, then-President Richard Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act, which is still the basis of U.S. drug policy today.

Marijuana was classified under schedule 1, i.e., in a group of drugs which were considered to have the highest risk for abuse with the least medical benefit. This had very little scientific basis and was purely driven by a political agenda.

Former Presidential aide John D. Ehrlichman addresses press members on his second day of testimony before the Senate Watergate Committee in Washington, D.C. on July 25, 1973.

“We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin and then criminalizing them both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.”
John Ehrlichman,
Nixon’s Chief Adviser, quoted in 1994

© Robert Gumpert — Three handcuffed indivudals detained on the streets of San Francisco.

President Richard Nixon (seated right) meets with HR Haldeman (seated left), John Ehrlichman (seated center), and Chapin (standing).

“Did we know we were lying about the
drugs? Of course we did.”
John Ehrlichman,
Nixon’s Chief Adviser, quoted in 1994

Former Presidential aide John D. Ehrlichman looks on during a conference in Washington, D.C., c.a. 1973.

The War on Drugs

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
HAS SPENT

OF ALL PRISONERS IN THE U.S.,

OF ALL CANNABIS RELATED
ARRESTS,

IN 2019,
THE POLICE ARRESTED

COMPARED TO WHITE PEOPLE,
HISPANICS WERE

COMPARED TO WHITE PEOPLE,
BLACK PEOPLE WERE

ON THE
WAR ON DRUGS SINCE 1971.

WERE CONVICTED FOR CANNABIS OFFENSES.

ARE FOR SIMPLE POSSESSION.

FOR VIOLENT OFFENSES.

FOR CANNABIS OFFENSES.

MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED
FOR CANNABIS IN 2018.

USD

People

Percent

People

Times

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An Industry Built on Injustice

© Robert Gumpert — Inmate, handcuffed, faces the wall in the common area of the San Francisco County Jail.

As more U.S. citizens were being imprisoned for non-violent drug law offenses, private prisons started selling their services to federal and state governments.

This service was obviously most profitable when the prisons were full. The number of prisoners in private institutions has only increased in the last decade.

© Robert Gumpert — Inmates pictured in San Francisco County Jail and Pelican Bay State Prison.

© Robert Gumpert — Correctional officers escort an inmate to the solitary housing unit in Pelican Bay State Prison, California. Solitary confinement continues to be an overused form of punishment despite having adverse effects on physical and mental health.

© Robert Gumpert — A convex security mirror captures a watchtower in Pelican Bay State Prison, California. AI surveillance in U.S. prisons could soon become the norm. This would further take away basic rights from prisoners.

An Industry Built on Injustice

U.S. TAXPAYERS SPEND
APPROXIMATELY

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
SPENDS APPROXIMATELY

INMATES EARN
AN AVERAGE OF

INCARCERATION REDUCES
LIFE EXPECTANCY BY

ANNUALLY TO FUND FEDERAL
PRISONS.

ANNUALLY ON REENTRY
PROGRAMS FOR INCARCERATED.

PER HOUR
FOR PRISON LABOR.

THE TOTAL
PRISON SENTENCE.

USD

Times

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0.4

A Blooming Economy

Cannabis cultivation greenhouse. With the growth of the industry, many home growers have turned their passion into businesses.

A change in citizens’ attitude towards cannabis came about as cannabis became profitable. Not only for the private sector but also for those states that have already legalized cannabis and taxed its trade.

With further legal relaxations, the industry will continue to flourish.

Person attaches sensor to cannabis plant. Maintaining quality and standardization is critical to sustain the success of the cannabis industry.

Person arranges cannabis jars in dispensary. The industry remains heavily regulated with legal requirements of obtaining a license varying from state-to-state.

Cultivation and production of cannabis flower in a licensed facility in the U.S.

A Blooming Economy

THE U.S. CANNABIS INDUSTRY
IS WORTH

THE U.S. CANNABIS INDUSTRY
GENERATED

AS ESTIMATED
IN 2021.

IN SALES IN 2021.

IN TAX REVENUE IN 2021

USD

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0.5

The Promise of Medical Cannabis

Chemist fills a test tube with cannabis flower. Organizations are pushing for creating standardized testing procedures for quality control.

One of the many benefits of cannabis is its potential in the health industry.

Amidst the opioid crisis in the U.S., health experts see easier access to cannabis as an alternative to painkillers and heroin. This shows great potential for improving quality of life.