Cannabis advocacy organizations are nonprofits that work to change cannabis laws and repair the harms prohibition left behind, from people still in prison to old records and voter education. This guide introduces several well-known groups, including Michigan chapters, and explains what each one does. It also covers how you can help directly and how to vet a nonprofit before you give.
Why people remain incarcerated for cannabis after legalization
New cannabis laws mostly look forward. People sentenced before legalization usually need another path to relief, such as clemency, compassionate release, resentencing or a record-clearing law, and those paths vary from place to place. Federal law is its own story; for where federal scheduling stands as of October 2026, read our cannabis rescheduling explainer.
Federal data shows who is still behind bars. The U.S. Sentencing Commission found that as of January 2022, no one sentenced solely for simple possession of marijuana remained in federal prison. People still serving federal cannabis sentences were convicted of more than simple possession, such as growing or selling. Advocates are pushing to expand retroactive relief for people who would receive lighter sentences under today's laws.
Old possession records still carry weight, too. The same report found that in fiscal year 2021, prior marijuana possession sentences pushed 1,765 people sentenced in federal court into a higher criminal history category. Of those 1,765 people, 41.7% were Black. There's no single national count of people incarcerated for cannabis, so estimates vary by source.
Groups focused on clemency and reentry
Last Prisoner Project (LPP). LPP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform. It works through legal intervention, public education and legislative advocacy. Its legal work seeks release for people imprisoned for cannabis through clemency, compassionate release and resentencing.
LPP's constituent support reaches people both inside and after prison. Its commissary support program helps constituents who are still incarcerated, and its reentry grant program gives one-time cash grants to participants in its early-release programs and their dependents. Its website also invites supporters to write letters to the people it's working for.
Reentry help also comes from local legal aid groups, workforce programs and community organizations, even when cannabis isn't their only focus. If someone you know is coming home, those local services can be a practical place to start.
Student and youth drug-policy education groups
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). SSDP calls itself a global network of young people working to end the war on drugs. Its stated mission is to empower the next generation of drug policy leaders.
SSDP works through two legally separate groups. The SSDP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) focused on education and outreach, and SSDP Inc. is a 501(c)(4) focused on advocacy for changes to laws and policies. Members elect student directors, who hold two-thirds of the seats on its board. The group says it neither condones nor condemns drug use. For adults who want to support drug-policy education, a gift to the foundation is tax-deductible, while a gift to SSDP Inc. isn't.
Voter-registration and civic-engagement groups
Cannabis rules are shaped by the officials voters elect, and sometimes by voters directly. Nonpartisan election tools make it easier to take part:
- VOTE411, launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund in 2006, collects state-by-state voter registration forms and deadlines, factual candidate information and a polling place locator. The League is strictly nonpartisan and neither supports nor opposes candidates.
- Michigan NORML's website includes a 2026 slate and voter information pages for people who want to see where the group stands.
Our guide to cannabis and elections explains how your vote shapes cannabis laws.
Legal and consumer cannabis advocacy organizations in Michigan
NORML, which has worked to reform marijuana laws since 1970, lists two chapters in Michigan:
- Michigan NORML says it advocates for cannabis consumer rights in Michigan, with a focus on legal protections, employee protections and patient access. It also supports state and federal legalization.
- Motor City NORML is NORML's other listed Michigan chapter.
Equity and record clearing are their own areas of work in Michigan. Our cannabis social equity explainer and our Michigan expungement guide cover both. For the people who built these movements, see our profiles of Black cannabis pioneers.
How individuals can help support cannabis reform
- Volunteer. If a legal aid group near you runs record-clearing clinics, ask whether it needs help with intake or paperwork. Lawyers can offer pro bono hours.
- Write letters. The Last Prisoner Project invites supporters to write to people it's working to free.
- Give directly. Donate through an organization's own website, and check whether your gift is tax-deductible.
- Open doors. If you hire or rent out property, consider second-chance policies for people with old cannabis records.
- Vote and speak up. Register, vote in every election, including local ones, and tell your representatives where you stand.
- Mark the moments. Juneteenth and Black History Month are natural times to look back at how unevenly cannabis laws were enforced; our Juneteenth article offers a starting point.
How to vet a nonprofit
A few checks take only minutes:
- Look up its status. The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search shows whether a group can receive tax-deductible contributions. It also lists Form 990 filings, determination letters and whether an exemption was automatically revoked.
- Read the Form 990. It shows where the money comes from and where it goes, including what leaders are paid.
- Know the type. Gifts to a 501(c)(3) are generally tax-deductible. Gifts to a 501(c)(4), which can focus more on advocacy, generally aren't.
- Look for specifics. A clear mission, named programs and reported results are good signs. Vague promises and pressure to give right now aren't.
- Check the fit. Make sure the group's work matches what you want to support, whether that's clemency, reentry, education or policy.
