Millions of Americans bore the weight of prohibition. Their communities were targeted, their futures derailed, their wealth destroyed. This campaign exists to make sure the legal cannabis industry is built by the people it hurt most.
The same communities criminalized for cannabis
deserve to profit from it.
The War on Drugs didn't just incarcerate people — it stripped wealth from communities, disrupted family structures, and blocked an entire generation from economic opportunity. Now that cannabis is becoming legal and profitable, the industry risks repeating those inequities unless equity is built into its DNA from the start.
"I Survived the War on Drugs" is NCSEF's national awareness and action campaign. It amplifies the voices of those most impacted, educates policymakers and consumers, and channels political will into concrete pathways — licenses, education, capital, and community investment — for those left behind.
Join the Movement →Since NCSEF was founded by Joseph Sullivan, we've translated advocacy into measurable outcomes in the communities that needed it most.
Our campaign is built on four interconnected demands for justice in the legal cannabis industry.
Automatic expungement of cannabis convictions must accompany legalization. People shouldn't carry criminal records for acts now celebrated as commerce.
Social equity licensing programs must be funded, enforced, and free of barriers that effectively exclude the very communities they're meant to serve.
Cannabis business knowledge must reach communities without financial gatekeeping. Education is the bridge between intention and licensure.
A portion of cannabis tax revenue and industry profit must flow back into the communities that bore the greatest cost of prohibition.
These are the real people whose lives were shaped by prohibition — and who are now claiming their place in the legal cannabis industry.
Whether you survived the War on Drugs firsthand or stand in solidarity, there's a meaningful role for you in this campaign.
Add your name to our growing list of advocates demanding equity, expungement, and economic justice in legal cannabis.
Sign now →Your experience with the War on Drugs — as a directly impacted person or a family member — deserves to be heard. Submit your story below.
Share →Share our campaign hashtag #ISurvivedWOD on social media and tell people why cannabis equity matters to you personally.
Share campaign →Every dollar donated to NCSEF supports equity education, financial assistance awards, and licensing navigation for those who need it most.
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