On this week's episode of the Eye on Veterans podcast, we discuss veterans, cannabis, incarceration, and a story brought to us from The Last Prisoner Project.
Alicia Deals tracks the story of her father, Air Force veteran Robert Deals, who was arrested, convicted, and sentenced on cannabis related charges in Arizona over a decade ago.
In 2020, Arizona residents voted to legalize cannabis, and it is now legal for both medical and recreational use. But her father remains behind bars. And, in an ironic twist, Alicia Deals was awarded a state license to operate a dispensary in Tempe.
Deals shares the details of her father’s case and describes where cannabis tax dollars are currently being spent.
Sarah Gersten, The Last Prisoner Project’s Executive Director, describes other veteran cannabis cases from around the country and highlights their work to reform drug policy on both the state and federal levels.
We also discuss the Deals’ current plea for clemency and share the response we received from the Arizona Governor’s office.
See more from The Last Prisoner Project here.
Contact Phil Briggs, the host of CBS Eye on Veterans at phil@connectingvets.com.