Former Marijuana Prisoners Who Got Clemency From Trump Hold Event Outside White House To Request Relief For Those Still Behind Bars

OG Article

April 18, 2025

Kyle Jaeger

Former marijuana prisoners who received clemency from President Donald Trump during his first term staged an event outside the White House on Thursday, expressing gratitude for the relief they were given and calling on the new administration to grant the same kind of help to others who are still behind bars for cannabis.

Flanked by cardboard cutouts of individuals pardoned or granted commutations by Trump, activists impacted by criminalization stood outside the White House with a message to “free all cannabis prisoners.”

The grassroots “Cannabis Prisoners Unity Day” called attention to the opportunity to build upon the executive-level relief. In addition to Trump’s clemency actions in his first term, former President Joe Biden also pardoned and commuted sentences for hundreds of people while he was in office. But numerous people remain behind bars over non-violent federal cannabis convictions.

“President Trump, we are your example of a victory,” Craig Cesal—who received a commutation for a life sentence he was handed down in 2002 for a marijuana distribution conviction—said during a panel discussion ahead of the White House meetup.

“He believed in us—and I told you, that was the exact words that [Ivanka Trump] herself told me, that we believe that you’re going to be a good, productive part of society,” he said. “President Trump, we’re here to prove you were right.”

Anthony DeJohn, who was also granted relief from a life sentence over cannabis, said he’d like to thank Trump “for taking me from the pits of hell in the United States—because that’s what the prison system is, the pits of hell.”

“If I could say anything to him, I wish that he would free the rest of them, because they don’t deserve to be in there,” he said.

The day-long event was organized by Travis Cullen, a justice-impacted individual who also served prison time for a non-violent marijuana offense. It was also backed by several advocacy organizations, including Freedom Grow, The Redemption Foundation, Mission Green and Jailed for Weed.

Cullen told Marijuana Moment on Thursday that the plan is to hold the event annually—at least until the remaining cannabis prisoners are released, which he’s hopeful could happen with the right executive direction.

While the Trump administration so far has not meaningfully engaged on cannabis issues this term—with a focus on immigration and tariff policy occupying much of the White House’s time—there seems to be a recently stepped-up push from advocates and stakeholders making the case to prioritize marijuana reform.

On the congressional level, for example, bipartisan lawmakers announced the filing of two pieces of cannabis legislation that largely align with Trump’s stated position on the issue.

One would end federal marijuana prohibition in states that have legalized it, while providing for a basic federal regulatory framework for cannabis products. The other would direct the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis that models what’s currently in place for alcohol.

The introduction of the bills comes amid the release of a new survey from a GOP pollster affiliated with Trump that found that a majority of Republicans back a variety of cannabis reforms—and, notably, they’re even more supportive of allowing states to legalize marijuana without federal interference compared to the average voter.

—Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.—

Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson recently told CNN that the administration currently has “no action” planned on marijuana reform proposals, including those like rescheduling and industry banking access that Trump also endorsed on the campaign trail last year.

The White House has also said that marijuana rescheduling is not a part of Trump’s drug policy priorities for the first year of his second term—a disappointment for advocates and stakeholders who hoped to see him take speedier action.

Former officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also recently said that, without proactive advocacy for marijuana rescheduling from Trump personally, the process could stall indefinitely.