11: Is the Cannabis Industry Falling Short in its Fight? with Steve DeAngelo
Explicit content warning
03/02/22 • 63 min
Right now, approximately 40,000 people are incarcerated for cannabis-related charges, while others are making millions of dollars in the legal industry.
Steve DeAngelo, often considered “the father of the legal industry,” has been fighting for reform since the 1970s.
In today’s episode, Steve is here to talk about his work to reform both the cannabis industry and state laws through his organization the Last Prisoner Project.
He’ll disprove the common misconceptions around cannabis while teaching you the spirit of the plant.
Steve will leave you with a clear image of the ideal cannabis industry and will also give you arguments for cannabis reform to keep in your back pocket.
Just by listening to this episode and sharing the information, you can be a part of the change!
Key Topics and Takeaways:
- What the Last Prisoner Project is and why it’s important. [10:33]
- Decriminalization vs. full legalization. [19:53]
- Bringing people who were harmed by cannabis prohibition into the legal industry. [22:19]
- Protecting yourself against the predatory cannabis industry. [29:56]
- Should cannabis reform be a primary issue? [31:40]
- The importance of coalition building. [33:53]
- Exploring faith-based opposition. [40:03]
- Legalization of other psychoactive plants. [49:48]
Guest:
Steve DeAngelo, Father of the Legal Cannabis Industry, Founder of Harborside Dispensary, Founder of the Last Prisoner Project
Resources:
Memorable Quotes:
“Every governor in the United States of America has the power to release cannabis prisoners with the stroke of a pen. And we believe that, especially in states where voters have voted to legalize cannabis, that every governor should do so.” (12:49, Steve)
“I think that mobilizing people to defend their right to be able to grow cannabis in their own homes is pretty achievable.” (31:2, Steve)
“I believe that cannabis is more than just another product. There's no other product that teaches us lessons and that gives us a common value system.” (35:55, Steve)
“When you look at the cannabis plant across the breadth of human history, what you find is that every single human culture on this planet has adopted and used this planet successfully almost without exception.” (43:13, Steve)
“When you look at the total range of substances that are out there, there's no question that cannabis should not be illegal. It should not be restricted. In fact, cannabis use should be celebrated and promoted because it gives social benefits rather than harms.” (50:48, Steve)
“My belief is that if more people around the world consume cannabis, that we're going to end up living in a better world.” (58:37, Steve)
Right now, approximately 40,000 people are incarcerated for cannabis-related charges, while others are making millions of dollars in the legal industry.
Steve DeAngelo, often considered “the father of the legal industry,” has been fighting for reform since the 1970s.
In today’s episode, Steve is here to talk about his work to reform both the cannabis industry and state laws through his organization the Last Prisoner Project.
He’ll disprove the common misconceptions around cannabis while teaching you the spirit of the plant.
Steve will leave you with a clear image of the ideal cannabis industry and will also give you arguments for cannabis reform to keep in your back pocket.
Just by listening to this episode and sharing the information, you can be a part of the change!
Key Topics and Takeaways:
- What the Last Prisoner Project is and why it’s important. [10:33]
- Decriminalization vs. full legalization. [19:53]
- Bringing people who were harmed by cannabis prohibition into the legal industry. [22:19]
- Protecting yourself against the predatory cannabis industry. [29:56]
- Should cannabis reform be a primary issue? [31:40]
- The importance of coalition building. [33:53]
- Exploring faith-based opposition. [40:03]
- Legalization of other psychoactive plants. [49:48]
Guest:
Steve DeAngelo, Father of the Legal Cannabis Industry, Founder of Harborside Dispensary, Founder of the Last Prisoner Project
Resources:
Memorable Quotes:
“Every governor in the United States of America has the power to release cannabis prisoners with the stroke of a pen. And we believe that, especially in states where voters have voted to legalize cannabis, that every governor should do so.” (12:49, Steve)
“I think that mobilizing people to defend their right to be able to grow cannabis in their own homes is pretty achievable.” (31:2, Steve)
“I believe that cannabis is more than just another product. There's no other product that teaches us lessons and that gives us a common value system.” (35:55, Steve)
“When you look at the cannabis plant across the breadth of human history, what you find is that every single human culture on this planet has adopted and used this planet successfully almost without exception.” (43:13, Steve)
“When you look at the total range of substances that are out there, there's no question that cannabis should not be illegal. It should not be restricted. In fact, cannabis use should be celebrated and promoted because it gives social benefits rather than harms.” (50:48, Steve)
“My belief is that if more people around the world consume cannabis, that we're going to end up living in a better world.” (58:37, Steve)
Previous Episode
10: How did Colorado Build one of the Best Public Defense Systems? w/Doug Wilson
Colorado’s Doug Wilson has worked in the public defense system for over 40 years, so to say he holds a boatload of knowledge is an understatement!
Colorado has one of the best models of public defense and Doug is one of the people responsible for that success.
In this episode, Doug explains how he worked with the Colorado legislature to create a system built on independence and increase their budget by over 40 million dollars.
You’ll also hear about Colorado’s weaknesses—poor determination standards, court fees, and a lack of community outreach.
However, Wilson continues to advocate for an improved public defense system in Colorado.
In a world where not everybody gets access to representation and public defenders are overworked and underpaid, Doug Wilson is tenaciously working to change that.
Key Topics and Takeaways:
- Why Colorado’s public defense system so well and how Doug laid that foundation [4:05]
- Public defense is a part of public safety [12:35]
- Defining recidivism [13:58]
- Doug and I dive deep into The Colorado Project, a recent workload analysis [28:16]
- Doug breaks down Colorado’s determination standards [32:09]
- Colorado’s struggle to provide adequate mental health services [50:30]
- The negative impacts of horizontal representation [1:04:06]
Guests:
Doug Wilson, Chief Public Defender of Aurora Municipal Defender Office and former Chief Public Defender of The Colorado Office of the State Public Defender
Resources:
NLADA Aurora Public Defender Assessment
ACLU Report on Colorado Municipal Courts
Office of the State Public Defender of Colorado
Aurora Office of the Public Defender
Do You Qualify for a Public Defender in Colorado?
Memorable Quotes:
“Indigent clients must be given the same constitutionally effect and officiant counsel as folks who can afford to pay for their attorney. That’s huge. You don’t see that level of independence or those mandates in very many systems around the country.” (6:38, Doug)
“We're part of the public safety discussion as well, because for every person that we can keep out of the system or keep from coming back into the system, by our intervention or our representation, or our alternative sentencing plan... that protects the public.” (12:45. Doug)
“50% of the bill of rights is there to protect the individual against the government.” (22:00, Doug)
“So for my listeners, indigent does not mean just the homeless person on the side of the road with two pennies to rub together. It is the family next door struggling with medical debt, it is the family across the street who just got into a fender bender, it is the guy at work who just got laid off to no fault of his own. It is every ordinary people who will face the brunt of the legal system without an attorney.” (38:07, Hunter)
“There are only five dedicated, municipal structured public defender offices in the country. Think about that.” (49:59, Doug)
“When a person's livelihood is dependent upon them not realizing they're doing something bad, they will very rarely realize they're doing something bad.” (46:34, Hunter)
Next Episode
12: Why Are Virginia Public Defenders Only Paid to Work on a Case for Two Hours? w/Amari Harris
In the American conversation, there is a large overlap between class and race. Yet very often, we underplay the role that class plays in the dynamics of our legal system
In today’s episode, Hunter chats with Amari Harris, the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Attorney for Virginia Public Defenders to discuss those dynamics and more.
He describes his much-needed position within the Virginia public defense system, the broken payment structure for contract attorneys, the ways in which Virginia prosecutors can engage in trial by ambush, and the important of crafting public messaging around public defense to fit the demographics and needs of the communities they serve.
Amari bridges the gap between practicing public defenders and their clients—helping them effectively approach each client’s unique life experiences.
This episode challenges people to constantly think about how messaging around public defense will most effectively get people across the racial and socioeconmic spectrum to care about public defense reform.
Key Topics and Takeaways:
- An overview of the Virginia public defense system & Amari’s role within it. [3:04]
- Why many cases don’t get an investigation even though they need one. [18:26]
- The negative impacts of “trial by ambush.” [21:03]
- Ways that the rural areas are disadvantaged in Virginia. [24:57]
- How Amari handles the massive amount of diversity in the state. [30:58]
- Amari walks you through Virginia indigency standards. [43:55]
- Hunter and Amari dig deep into class arguments. [46:15]
- Amari’s goals for a better public defense system of tomorrow in Virginia. [50:01]
Guest:
Amari Harris, Equity Diversity and Inclusion Attorney for Virginia Public Defenders
Resources:
2016 ACLU report on Prosecutor Power
Memorable Quotes:
“Being a great lawyer is fantastic, but you could be a great lawyer and a bad public defender if you can’t relate to your clients, if you can’t engender yourself to the community in some way, then you’re doing our clients a disservice.” (6:20, Amari)
“If there’s one thing that I know from just looking nationally, when you have a flat fee structure like this, you’re not getting investigation.” (18:09, Hunter)
“Just having someone that thinks a little bit differently than another person in the room makes that other person so much smarter than if they just read about the information.” (32:46, Amari)
“If we think of diversity and inclusion only as representing ethnic and racial things, you’re missing the point.” (34:53, Hunter)
“I think race does dictate a lot of what goes on in the criminal justice system and it’s been historic, but if you lead with that, then you will lose a lot of people.” (42:59, Amari)
“Every public defender who stays in this long enough will work under blue and red administration. And the idea that you simply have to throw up your hands and go ‘well shucks, wait till the guy who agrees with me comes into office’ is not workable.” (49:30, Hunter)
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