Meet Our Pot Lifers Serving Life Sentences for Cannabis-related Offenses
Sadly, dozens of individuals are serving life sentences in prison for non-violent, cannabis-related offenses? As cannabis legalization continues to go mainstream, Sespe Creek Collective is doing its part to help raise awareness for this injustice and working toward their de-carceration. You can help by participating in our Pot Lifer Pen Pal program and through Pot Fairy merchandise and our 4/20 Limited Edition T-shirt purchases. The proceeds from these sales are donated to these inmates’ commissary accounts.
Won’t you write a letter to a pot lifer inmate? Here’s how it works.
- Click on the name of the inmate you’d like to write to and download a pre-addressed blank letter that you can use.
- Type or handwrite your letter using this pre-addressed template.
- Submit your letter by emailing it to [email protected]. Use the Subject Line: My Pen Pal Letter and include your full name and email address. We will mail your letter for you.
- Once received, Sespe Creek will email you a Pot Lifer Promo Code that you can add to your order for a pre-roll for a penny courtesy of our Pot Lifer Sponsor Farmer and the Felon.
Michael Pelletier, Michael Thompson, Craig Cesal, Andy Cox, Ferrell Damon Scott, Fate Vincent Winslow, Parker Coleman, Corvain Cooper, John Knock, Claude Duboc, Ismael Lira, Pedro Moreno, Terrance Mosley, Hector Ruben McGurk, James Roman, Anthony DeJohn, Kenneth Kubinski, Way Quoe Long, Michael Woods, Richard DeLisi, Gaetan Dinelle, Edwin Rubis, Rafael Hernandez-Carrillo, Cornell Hood, not pictured (Anthony Kelly, Paul Morgan, Steve Kadonsky, and Albert Madrid).
How to Correspond with a Pot Lifer
Corresponding with friends and family is a lifeline that is vital to the survival of those on the inside. Mail call can be the best part of a prisoner’s day, as long as they are lucky enough to receive mail. For many, the mail is the only thing they have to look forward to. The biggest hurdle to beginning a pen pal relationship is getting started. A suggestion for a first letter might include an introduction along with a short bio, an explanation of how you came to hear about the inmate, hobbies, pets, music, activism, cannabis laws, weather, etc. Share only what you are comfortable with.
If you would like to continue corresponding on your own, please follow these general guidelines.
Getting Started
Every prison has its own rules and they are regularly changing. Regarding a response, the prison mail system can be slow. Sometimes it can take several weeks to get a response.
The Basics
- No stamps (other than a postage stamp on envelope), stickers, tape, glue, glitter, staples, paper clips, fragrances, crayons, ribbon, etc. on the envelope or letter. White envelopes only.
- No address labels.
- All ingoing and outgoing mail is subject to inspection. Never include anything you wouldn’t want staff to read.
- Please realize that even if you do everything “right” mail can be returned.
- Always include the prisoner’s full first name, prison ID#, institution name, and address on the envelope.
Sending Photographs
- Prisoners love to get pictures. They love to see nature, pets, vacation photos, etc. Pictures help them to see the world outside their cement walls and metal bars. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
- Photos should be no larger than 4″x6″.
- Photos should never contain nudity, sexually suggestive material.
- Hand gestures and tattoos can be rejected due to fears of gang implications.
- Only 5 photos can be sent in an envelope with a single stamp at a time, and often times a facility will only allow 3-5 photos.
- Remember staff and other inmates will be inspecting these.
- Photocopies of photographs are acceptable.
Sending books, Magazines, and Newspapers
Prisoners are not allowed to receive gifts directly from friends and family but they are able to receive publications that come directly from the manufacturer and can be ordered from Amazon.com.
- Do not send more than 3 books at a time.
- All books must be new and softcover (no used, hardcover or spiral bound).
- Use the prisoner’s name and ID number with the facility mailing address
- Magazines and newspapers can be ordered the same way as books.
Thank you to our Pot Lifer Pen Pal Sponsors
