As more and more states evolve in their viewpoint towards cannabis legislation, the country finds itself at a crossroads. While now legal in many areas, cannabis still hasn’t quite shaken its stigma in the job market or among legislators at the national scale.

Enter Puff Puff Give, a foundation and brand established to give a voice to medicinal marijuana and to reduce harm from mass incarceration brought about by the controversial “War on Drugs.” This month, the organization launched a “Clean Slate” initiative aimed at assisting convicted cannabis users with record expungement. On the heels of this announcement, we spoke with Cheo Vidal, the organization’s founder, for insight into the motivations and operations of PPG.

“Society tells people, ‘You do the crime, you do the time,’ and that once you’ve served your penance, you can re-enter society,” says Vidal. “But the reality is that on applications, people still have to check that box that says they’ve been convicted of a crime. And that leads to them being cast aside.”

This barrier to employment disproportionately affects people of color, he notes. “Mass incarceration is something I’m very sensitive to. There are marked disparities between who carries narcotics and who is actually arrested and charged. As a person of color, that was an affront to me.”

How does it work? The PPG Foundation pays for filing fees associated with record expungement, and aligns selected applicants with partnered law firms offering pro bono representation. Individuals and other brands can get on board, too: the PPG Foundation accepts donations to help fund these efforts. For now, Clean Slate is being piloted in Oregon, where PPG is headquartered, but the organization hopes to extend the program to other states.

Vidal and PPG are also working toward cannabis destigmatization through an apparel collection of cool, cozy tees, tanks, and hoodies. More Rihanna than Bob Marley, the line is designed to allow a user to be “out” about their adoption of cannabis without playing into worn-out stoner stereotypes. As Vidal puts it, “If your boss saw you in it, he or she wouldn’t think twice.”

In the fight against cannabis stigma, there are still miles to go before we sleep, as Frost would say. But visionary organizations like Puff Puff Give set the blueprint for what generosity of spirit could look like in the green age.

As more and more states evolve in their viewpoint towards cannabis legislation, the country finds itself at a crossroads. While now legal in many areas, cannabis still hasn’t quite shaken its stigma in the job market or among legislators at the national scale.

Enter Puff Puff Give, a foundation and brand established to give a voice to medicinal marijuana and to reduce harm from mass incarceration brought about by the controversial “War on Drugs.” This month, the organization launched a “Clean Slate” initiative aimed at assisting convicted cannabis users with record expungement. On the heels of this announcement, we spoke with Cheo Vidal, the organization’s founder, for insight into the motivations and operations of PPG.

“Society tells people, ‘You do the crime, you do the time,’ and that once you’ve served your penance, you can re-enter society,” says Vidal. “But the reality is that on applications, people still have to check that box that says they’ve been convicted of a crime. And that leads to them being cast aside.”

This barrier to employment disproportionately affects people of color, he notes. “Mass incarceration is something I’m very sensitive to. There are marked disparities between who carries narcotics and who is actually arrested and charged. As a person of color, that was an affront to me.”

How does it work? The PPG Foundation pays for filing fees associated with record expungement, and aligns selected applicants with partnered law firms offering pro bono representation. Individuals and other brands can get on board, too: the PPG Foundation accepts donations to help fund these efforts. For now, Clean Slate is being piloted in Oregon, where PPG is headquartered, but the organization hopes to extend the program to other states.

Vidal and PPG are also working toward cannabis destigmatization through an apparel collection of cool, cozy tees, tanks, and hoodies. More Rihanna than Bob Marley, the line is designed to allow a user to be “out” about their adoption of cannabis without playing into worn-out stoner stereotypes. As Vidal puts it, “If your boss saw you in it, he or she wouldn’t think twice.”

In the fight against cannabis stigma, there are still miles to go before we sleep, as Frost would say. But visionary organizations like Puff Puff Give set the blueprint for what generosity of spirit could look like in the green age.