Because our legal system should reflect cannabis' growing acceptance.
Cannabis is gaining acceptance nationwide, and our legal system should reflect the progress. The Weldon Project’s Mission Green is a leader in clemency, expungement, and pardons for persons currently or formerly incarcerated due to nonviolent cannabis-related charges. The nonprofit has a personal connection to the issue; it was founded by Weldon Angelos after serving 13 years of a 55-year sentence. Verano and our retail storefronts Zen Leaf and MÜV are honored to be a staunch supporter of the Weldon Project’s Mission Green to promote and create permanent, positive change for cannabis and our society at large. Verano will support the Weldon Project’s cannabis reform and clemency advocacy at the federal level. The Weldon Project recently engaged with the White House and senior political leaders regarding clemency initiatives and legislation efforts aimed at creating a path for federal legalization and cannabis banking reform, including the SAFE and MORE Acts. Verano and The Weldon Project encourage advocates to share their support by signing The Weldon Project’s Change.org cannabis clemency petition, which also includes an accompanying letter issued to President Biden that is co-signed by an assortment of celebrities, academics, politicians and other notable figures.
“Our organization’s ability to meaningfully dismantle systemic injustices created by cannabis prohibition is further amplified when we partner with respected and established industry leaders like Verano. We are proud to join forces with a team that shares our commitment to supporting communities disproportionately targeted by the War on Drugs and believe this national campaign will compel more Americans to demand impactful cannabis reforms from their lawmakers.”
- Weldon Angelos, Founder of Mission Green
As one of the nation’s largest multi-state cannabis companies, Verano has supported cannabis expungement and advocacy programs since its foundation in 2014. The Company’s exclusive partnership with Mission Green will mobilize employees, patients, adult-use customers and cannabis reform advocates to support the organization’s ongoing cannabis social justice initiatives. Verano also leveraged its extensive retail operations across over 120 dispensaries in 14 states to engage and educate dispensary visitors on Mission Green and provide guests with donation and petition information. In addition to its initial $50,000 donation to Mission Green, Verano contributed nearly $100,000 in customer donations and company match in 2022 facilitated exclusively at the Company’s flagship Zen Leaf and MÜV dispensaries.
“As a leading U.S.-based cannabis company, we share a common vision with Weldon Angelos and the Mission Green team to support cannabis clemency, and the continued fight for the repeal of cannabis prohibition that has disproportionately affected communities of color and incarcerated millions of non-violent offenders for decades. After enduring 13 years behind bars for a minor cannabis-related offense himself, Weldon’s unique perspective, combined with the widespread support he’s earned from leaders across the political spectrum after years of impactful cannabis activism, positions him and the Mission Green team as ideal partners to help expand and elevate our actions in support of cannabis reform. We’re proud to stand alongside The Weldon Project and Mission Green as we further scale and amplify our cannabis reform actions, with the goal of creating permanent, positive change for cannabis and our society at large.”
- George Archos, Verano Founder and Chief Executive Officer