Jason Ortiz and the Last Prisoner Project: Selling Out the Cannabis Community for Political Gain
Jason Ortiz and the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) have betrayed the cannabis community by aligning with Democrat Governor Wes Moore of Maryland. While Ortiz and LPP appear to be making strides for cannabis justice, their actions prove hollow, leaving people like Harold Morris, who is serving 40 years for a cannabis conviction, still languishing behind bars.
Ortiz, whose primary allegiance seems to lie with the Democratic Party rather than the incarcerated individuals LPP claims to represent, has a history of political maneuvering. He served as the campaign manager for Democrat Chris Soto from 2012 to 2020. Most recently, on June 17th, Ortiz stood beside Governor Wes Moore during a highly publicized signing of 175,000 misdemeanor cannabis pardons. Ortiz described the event as “the biggest day in cannabis justice history,” claiming it set a national precedent. However, this so-called victory didn’t free a single individual imprisoned for cannabis-related charges.
This event was nothing more than a political smokescreen designed to appease voters and distract from the real issue: the ongoing incarceration of people like Harold Morris. By endorsing these superficial measures, Ortiz and LPP allowed Governor Moore and other politicians to posture as champions of cannabis justice without delivering meaningful results.
When questioned about this glaring failure, Ortiz reportedly said, “It’s better than nothing—other governors do nothing.” This defeatist attitude only enables politicians to continue using token gestures to appease the cannabis community while ignoring those still incarcerated. For Ortiz and LPP to call this day a historic moment only emboldens lawmakers to prioritize optics over real reform.
Even Maryland’s own lawmakers recognize the hypocrisy of establishing a recreational cannabis market while keeping individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offenses. As reported by The Washington Post, some legislators noted the inconsistency of creating a legal cannabis industry without fully decriminalizing marijuana. House Bill 135, which could have repealed mandatory 20-year sentences for nonviolent cannabis sales, remains unpassed. Meanwhile, Maryland profits from the cannabis industry, and people like Harold Morris remain forgotten.
Jason Ortiz and the Last Prisoner Project seem more interested in building their profiles and political alliances than achieving true justice for the incarcerated. As Ortiz and LPP travel the country claiming to advocate for equity and endorsing Democratic politicians, they continue to leave people like Harold Morris behind.
To the Last Prisoner Project and Jason Ortiz: If you truly represent the cannabis community, your work must focus on freeing the incarcerated individuals you claim to fight for—not just on photo ops and political endorsements.