Cannabis Justice Advocate Michael Thompson Receives Cannabis Hero Award

September 20th, 2024 Culture & Lifestyle
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Michael Thompson, based in Flint, MI, remains at the forefront of the national movement for criminal justice reform related to cannabis offenses and the improvement of prison conditions.

After serving 25 years as Michigan's longest-incarcerated non-violent offender, Thompson was granted clemency by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He was released on January 28th, 2021, and since then, he has devoted himself to advocating for the freedom of others, beginning his work as soon as he walked out of Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson, MI.

Thompson now serves as the President of the Michael Thompson Clemency Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting for clemency and reforming cannabis-related criminal justice policies. The organization has earned widespread recognition for its efforts. In December 2022, Thompson was featured in a forum organized by the ACLU and Princeton University, which focused on the role of clemency in reducing mass incarceration. The event brought together notable figures such as Oregon Governor Kate Brown and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. At the forum, Thompson and Governor Brown were both honored with the inaugural Lewis Conway Jr. Leadership in Clemency Award for their contributions to criminal justice reform.

In recognition of his ongoing efforts, Thompson was awarded the Cannabis Hero Award at the Last Prisoner Project's (LPP) Journey to Justice Gala, held at Sony Hall on September 24th, 2024. Thompson's clemency campaign received significant support from the Last Prisoner Project, an organization dedicated to securing the release of non-violent cannabis prisoners. As a proud LPP constituent, Thompson continues to stand in solidarity with the project, advocating for the freedom of all individuals incarcerated for non-violent cannabis-related crimes.

To support Michael Thompson and his mission to address the injustices caused by the War on Drugs, visit mtclemency.com/donate.

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