Three Active Players Sign Pot Pardon Petition with Drake, 2 Chainz and 150 More

September 18, 2021

Active players - San Diego Padres' Keone Kela (left) and Tennessee Titans' Julio Jones (right) - signed the petition calling for the release of federal cannabis prisoners sent to President Biden. — Active players - San Diego Padres’ Keone Kela (left) and Tennessee Titans’ Julio Jones (right) - signed the petition calling for the release of federal cannabis prisoners sent to President Biden.

Thirty-five rappers and athletes have signed on to a letter urging President Biden "to grant a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all persons subject to federal criminal or civil enforcement on the basis of non-violent marijuana offenses."

According to Last Prisoner Project, there are more than 40,000 pot prisoners in the U.S.

In March, CelebStoner reported, as of 2018, "there were 22,390 cannabis prisoners sentenced to state penitentiaries and 9,511 to federal facilities, adding up 31,901 prisoners, a 25% decline since 2004."

The letter is directed at the 10,000 or so federal pot prisoners.

"The harms of incarceration are obvious, but the pains of federal marijuana convictions transcend prison walls, making it more difficult for someone to get a job, access affordable housing, and receive an education," it states. "A conviction can forever limit an individual’s constitutional rights and can put the American dream further out of reach for an entire family. Enough is enough. No one should be locked up in federal prison for marijuana. No one should continue to bear the scarlet letter of a federal conviction for marijuana offenses."

Read the letter here.

There are more than 150 signees, including celebrities, athletes, producers, directors, public officials, advocates, academics, business leaders and former members of law enforcement. What's particularly interesting is three current major-league players signed on.