We are saddened and disgusted by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Their deaths are not isolated tragedies. They are the most recent lives lost in a 400 year history of atrocities committed against people of color under a system founded on and rooted in white supremacy. And though we are not surprised by these most recent murders, we are not numbed to their continued occurrences. Each time the perpetrators are not held accountable, we are shocked. It is unacceptable.

Today we add our voices to the cries for justice and equality rising throughout our country and the world, in the face of police brutality and the system of structural inequality that allows it to go on. It is not enough to condemn that which is wrong, but rather, we must create solutions and implement them, if we wish to live in a better world.

Part of addressing the problem of racism is recognizing our own roles within it. We are fortunate to work in and benefit from a Cannabis industry undergoing reform and legalization. Not everyone shares this fortune. Cannabis prohibition and the war on drugs have been responsible for the incarceration of a devastatingly disproportionate number of Black and Brown people, while the wealth generated by legal Cannabis is concentrated in white hands. This is due to the fact that marijuana laws are disproportionately used against people of color, and prior convictions for marijuana felonies have prevented many people from participating in the legal industry.

Our country has been actively dealing with white supremacy since our founding, and we see the continued patterns of violence, intimidation, and abuse of the institutions that are meant to protect our people. The only difference is that now acts of racial brutality are videoed and shared for the world to see. Abuses of people of color are not new, but we live in an age where they can no longer be denied. While we, as a predominantly white company, are not at fault for the racist actions of our predecessors, we are beneficiaries of them and recognize our privilege. As such, it is our responsibility to oppose, and work to change that system.

We are tired of simply condemning racial injustice. We must also contribute resources to bring about change. For the month of June, 10% of the proceeds from the sale of Green Earth Medicinals sales will go to support efforts of organizations working to address these issues.

The Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit dedicated to releasing Cannabis prisoners and helping them to rebuild their lives. If you would like to learn more about their work or directly support their efforts, you can go to https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/ for more information.

Additionally, to provide immediate support for the ongoing protests, we will be donating to The Bail Project, a national revolving bail fund that provides free bail assistance for low-income people sitting in jail simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. This is a vitally important effort—especially right now as thousands of people are confronting brutality and arrests in the streets while exercising their rights under the First Amendment to protest freely. To support The Bail Project directly, visit them at https://bailproject.org/.

We know this is a long journey, but Dr. King taught us that “[t]he arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” We must accept our responsibility as humans to help bend it.

Sincerely,

The team of Green Earth Medicinals