For years I’ve been driven by the mission to shine a light on the human impact of cannabis laws. For every life cannabis has touched, there’s a story of survival, transformation, and a relentless pursuit of justice.

My advocacy began with Cruel Consequences: Portraits of Misguided Law, a nonprofit I launched in 2018 to humanize the stories of those whose lives have been affected by unjust cannabis laws. I am continuing that mission in a new way with my second book, Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope. This book is a reflection of my own journey as a cannabis advocate, founder of a nonprofit, and someone whose health is directly impacted by cannabis prohibition and stigma.

A Personal Journey Turned Advocacy

In 2013, my life changed when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Conventional treatments for MS caused my liver to fail, leaving me searching for alternatives to the 15 meds I could no longer take. It was then I turned to cannabis. What I found was not just physical relief but a sense of empowerment and renewed hope to take ownership of my health.

Sharing my story publicly on NBC’s Dateline in March 2018, A Growing Hope, opened the door to countless connections with others who had been criminalized or ostracized for cannabis use. This was the turning point that inspired me to establish Cruel Consequences: Portraits of Misguided Law, a nonprofit organization dedicated to humanizing the impact of cannabis prohibition through photography and storytelling. Through the nonprofit, we have captured the stories of parents, veterans, patients, and countless others whose lives have been derailed by cannabis criminalization.

Cruel Consequences

When I started advocating for cannabis, people had already been fighting for its legality for decades and I wondered what, if anything, I could possibly contribute. However, I felt like nearly everyone told the relatively same fictional story if they were trying to help others understand what happens to people with a marijuana charge. They’d try to use hypothetical stories of someone who was arrested. I wanted to know real stories and share these real stories for others to use in advocating for cannabis. That’s what drove me to write the stories for Cruel Consequences.

My goal was to find a handful of individuals in my state, Virginia, who might also be willing to testify for legislative bills. To my surprise, my open call for a few turned into more than I could imagine. Currently, the collection includes individuals who have been denied employment, education, housing, child custody, and other rights due to their marijuana charge from across the U.S. I knew that if I could show a real person, not a stereotype, who is experiencing real consequences well after they have served their jail or prison sentence and paid their fines, it could change minds. I know the Cruel Consequences collection of stories continues to change minds, but what I did not see coming is that giving people a platform to tell their own stories gives them a sense of empowerment to reclaim their stories, advocate for change, and heal from the trauma they experienced.

Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope

Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope, my second book, builds on the work of Cruel Consequences by sharing raw, unfiltered stories of people whose lives intersect with cannabis in ways that challenge stereotypes and expand understanding. My hope with this book is to show the diversity of the people who are drawn to this plant. There are 51 personal stories in this book of people ages 25 to 81 including cannabis advocates, small business owners, entrepreneurs, nurses, firemen, and growers who tell why they continue to believe in cannabis. The stories in this book are not just about cannabis—they are about the people whose lives have been transformed by it.

The book features well-known figures associated with cannabis, like Keith Stroup, founder of NORML, who tells about being a coal miner’s grandchild dreaming of being a lawyer, and Doreen Sullivan of My Bud Vase, who shares how outdated paraphernalia laws cost her hundreds of thousands of dollars in her business. But it also includes everyday people telling stories of overcoming life’s challenges. For instance, there are stories like Michael Mulheran, an AIDS survivor, and Rich Firyn, a recovering addict who grows cannabis not for personal use, but to give away to the unhoused. These stories illustrate the transformative power of this plant—all people who represent the millions of stories like them in the cannabis community.

Why You Should Read Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope

It Humanizes Cannabis Advocacy

The conversation around cannabis often gets bogged down in policy debates, medical jargon, and politics. Humans of Cannabis puts faces and stories at the center. You’ll meet people who’ve suffered under harsh laws and others who’ve found life-changing relief through cannabis. It’s a reminder that behind every policy, there are real lives at stake.

2. It Challenges Stigmas

Many still view cannabis through the lens of decades-old propaganda. This book is a tool for breaking through those misconceptions, showing how cannabis can heal and how prohibition harms. If you’ve ever struggled to explain the importance of cannabis reform to someone, this book could be the bridge you’ve been looking for.

3. It’s Rooted in Lived Experience

As someone living with MS, I know firsthand how cannabis can transform lives. But I’ve also seen how the stigma and criminalization of cannabis have left people suffering needlessly. My journey—both as a patient and an advocate—adds a deeply personal perspective to the larger conversation about cannabis policy.

4. It Empowers You to Take Action

Whether you’re new to cannabis advocacy or a seasoned reformer, Humans of Cannabis will inspire you to get involved. The stories within are not just calls for empathy—they’re calls for action.

The Work That Remains

While Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope is filled with stories of hope, it is also a reminder of the work that remains. Thousands of people remain incarcerated in the United States for cannabis-related offenses, even as legalization sweeps across the country. The fight for justice and equity is far from over.

My hope is that this book inspires readers to see cannabis not as a divisive issue but as a unifying force. Whether you are passionate about medical miracles, criminal justice reform, or community healing, these stories demonstrate the profound impact of this plant.

You don’t have to be directly impacted by cannabis prohibition to care. You just have to care about fairness, justice, and human dignity. The stories in Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope invite readers to join this renaissance of hope and healing—one story at a time.

Discover it for yourself in Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope, available at cruelconsequences.org, Bookbaby.com, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. The Cruel Consequences stories are available on cruelconsequences.org or in my first book, The Human Cost of Marijuana Prohibition, also available on the website.

Breaking Chains: Stories of Hope, Healing, and Justice