Mother and VIBES create "release papers", smoking papers aimed to release incarcerated cannabis offenders.

Proceeds from sales are earmarked for the Last Prisoner Project. Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit whose objective is to get cannabis convicts out of jail. 

Many moons ago, I watched as a classmate rolled a joint and picked apart his "death Cigarettes" brand packaging to make a filter, out of a flap that was printed with a roach image. "This is why this brand is going to dominate", he concluded, "they're getting in to a future market just by their brand attitude of the current market." That future market took more than 25 years to arrive in some places, but it has. 

What Death Cigarettes was doing may be described as reverse psychology advertising, they literally had billboards that stated "Don't Smoke Death Cigarettes". These days they even sell the roach they had as a patch, so you can signal how cool you are to others on your jacket or whatever. Back in the day, even Rizla had ads banned for referring to drugs, as if 90% of their clientel weren't people who rolled jazz tobacco.

Well things change, and faster than you think, even when it's slow. With several states now legalizing the sale of cannabis, the use of it, the growing of it, and lots of other ways to use the plant - including making lovely bath bombs with CBD in them that I just love - advertising has a new problem to solve. 

What to do about people who were incarcerated, sometimes for many decades, due to selling it? Should they still be there when branded cannabis dispensaries and delivery services like "Med Men" are opening shops everywhere? Seems unfair, no?

Enter Mother Goods and Vibes.

They have collaborated to create Release Papers, a unique product designed to empower smokers to advocate for those incarcerated due to marijuana-related convictions.

While some individuals in the US can legally enjoy cannabis, more than 40,000 people remain imprisoned for the same offense, with many of them residing in states where cannabis is now legalized. Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of these individuals are people of color.

Each package of Release Papers contains a scannable QR code that leads purchasers to a petition advocating for clemency for those currently incarcerated or unfairly burdened by federal cannabis-related convictions. Furthermore, a portion of the profits from the sale of Release Papers will be donated to The Last Prisoner Project, a noble cause dedicated to bringing justice to those affected by outdated cannabis laws.

Each new pack of "Release papers" reveals a name of someone doing time for doing the same thing as the paper-user is doing.

“The goal of Release Papers is to remind consumers of the people that paved the way for this industry but are still being unjustly punished for the same action. An insert with a constituent's name is included in each pack, which makes the user stop, reflect, and take action before they roll one up for justice." says Stephanie Shepard, LPP Board Member and Director of Advocacy.

The "Release papers" are far more expensive than your regular rolling papers, and that's not just part of the donation idea, it's part of the point.

You can buy Release papers for 150 US dollars, which suddenly sends a regular item like smoking papers up into to the Gucci / Balenciagia level, while at the same time turning that profit into a serious donation. 

I mean, you have to admit that this is pretty smart. They're making buying really expensive papers very cool.

Among the numerous prison sentences served for selling cannabis, some remain cruel and hypocritical, exemplified by the case of Edwin Rubis. He committed actions similar to licensed distributors in many states today, yet he received an excessively harsh sentence of 40 years, essentially a life sentence.

So, perhaps you should buy one of these. If you smoke, that is. 

Each pack of king-sized (1-1/4” x 4-1/4”) papers comes with a card that calls for the release of a different prisoner. They are Richard Ashmeade, Hector McGurk, Edwin Rubio and Moe Taher.

Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit whose objective is to get cannabis convicts out of jail.