The Effort Aims to Bring Attention to the Unjust Cannabis Incarceration of Robert Deals

Last Prisoner Project (LPP) has teamed up with the renowned cannabis industry entrepreneur Berner, Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies, to launch the #FreeRobertDeals campaign. The collaboration seeks to spotlight the unjust imprisonment of Robert Deals, a 10-year Air Force veteran currently serving his 12th year of an 18-year sentence in a Yuma, Arizona prison for cannabis-related charges.

The #FreeRobertDeals campaign aims to raise awareness about the injustice of Robert Deals' case, prompt action towards securing his release, and reunite him with his family. Alicia Deals, Robert's daughter, has turned her family’s biggest burden into their family’s biggest blessing by opening the first Cookies dispensary with a social equity license in Arizona and using her platform to advocate for her father’s release. “We are using the power of our growing voice to raise awareness about my dad’s unjust sentence and to bring him home,” Alicia said.

In a statement, Berner said, "The injustices faced by Robert Deals and countless others highlight the urgent need for reform in our legal system. As a community, we cannot stand idly by while lives are unjustly altered by outdated laws."

Through the #FreeRobertDeals campaign, we call on supporters to urge the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency and Governor Katie Hobbs to reevaluate Robert's case and grant clemency.

"We are underscoring the urgent need to free individuals like Robert Deals. By shedding light on the human stories behind these convictions and we hope to prevent further injustices," said LPP Executive Director, Sarah Gersten.

LPP encourages the public to share on social media using the hashtag #FreeRobertDeals and take action at www.lastprisonerproject.org/freerobertdeals. Together we can ensure no one remains in prison for cannabis.

About Last Prisoner Project:

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform with the goal of releasing every last cannabis prisoner and helping them rebuild their lives. As the United States moves away from the criminalization of cannabis, giving rise to a major new industry, there remains the fundamental injustice inflicted upon those who have suffered under America’s unjust policy of cannabis prohibition. We work to redress these harms through legal intervention, constituent support, direct advocacy, and policy change. Visit www.lastprisonerproject.org or text FREEDOM to 24365 to learn more.

About Alicia Deals:

Alicia Deals is the first Black woman to operate a cannabis dispensary stemming from a license awarded from Arizona’s social equity program. She is the founder and CEO of Life Changers, and the owner-operator of Cookies dispensary in Tempe, Arizona. Ironically, her father, Robert Deals, is incarcerated, having served 12 years of an 18-year sentence in a Yuma, Arizona prison stemming from a cannabis conviction. Alicia has made it her mission to have her father released from prison. A natural entrepreneur, she is the founder of Life Changers, a company she created when she realized that other families, like hers, needed professional assistance. In addition to her dispensary work, she plans to launch Life Changers Law Firm and other entities in which she can help give people hope and change lives. To learn more, e-mail dealsalicia@gmail.com.

About Cookies:

Cookies is the most globally recognized cannabis company; founded in 2010 by Billboard-charting rapper and entrepreneur Berner and Bay Area breeder and cultivator Jai. The company creates game-changing genetics and offers a collection of over 70 proprietary cannabis cultivars and more than 2,000 products. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company is actively involved in advocacy and social impact initiatives to enrich communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Cookies has over 60 retail locations in over 20 markets across 6 countries, and was recently named one of America's Hottest Brands of 2021 by AdAge; the first cannabis brand to ever receive this accolade. To learn more about Cookies, visit cookies.co, and to learn more about Cookies CBD, visit shop.cookies.co

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129441833/en/