“Ten percent of my revenue goes to a nonprofit that I’m setting up to help people affected by the war on cannabis.
Former licensed marijuana caregiver Ryan Basore is helping other “ex-convicts” reclaim their time, OKAY???
It’s only been a few years since Michigan-medical cannabis pioneer, Ryan Basore was released from prison after being charged with crimes related to marijuana. Now he’s free and flourishing, set to release his first product later this week. It’s called Redemption and a portion of the revenue is committed to helping those affected by the war on drugs.
Although licensed, in 2012 Basore was aggressively targeted by agents in the Drug Enforcement Administration and the National Guard when his grow operation at his warehouse near Okemos High School in Michigan was raided, according to the Lansing State Journal.
At that time, the use of medical marijuana was approved by Michigan voters although local officials had no clue how to regulate the new market. While cannabis remained illegal on the federal level, Basore opened his dispensary in Lansing, believing that he and his colleagues were operating under the letter of the law.
They apparently were wrong. Basore along with Dennis Corey, Kyle Corey, Patrick Karslake , Douglas Frakes, Dennis Forsberg, and Lance Forsberg, were all indicted on charges.
Pleading guilty, Basore served three years of his 48-month sentence– the longest sentence of the six people indicted.
As a free man at age 43, Basore continues to work in the industry he loves as founder of Redemption Cannabis Co which vows to work with the best cultivators, processors, and distributors. Each member of his team has been hand-selected because in Ryan’s words, “you don’t get second chances of life very often.” His first set of products are expected to go on sale May 23rd.
For those still in prison, he will put money towards their commissary, help their families– whatever he can do to make an unfair situation a little better. For those who served their time, he will provide them with training. Inspired by his time at a halfway house in Kalamazoo, Basore is fully aware of the persecution that comes with loving that ganja saying,
“I’d say about 80% of the people I was in there with are back in prison. You don’t’ have any support and you’re set up to completely fail.”
Ryan Basore
Thankfully, he had the support of his peoples. “Not everybody did. And they went back to their lifestyle just out of survival. I wouldn’t feel right getting through it and having the resources, not helping other people and not doing anything.”
Last year, a craft-canna company in Michigan called Gage Cannabis Co. gifted nearly $1M in social equity grants to businesses impacted by marijuana criminalization.. Ryan liked the guys, and clearly they loved him. Basore was the first recipient of the grant, awarded $50,000 to launch Redemption in partnership with TRUU Cannabis (a Lansing native), full-service processing company Fresh Coast Extracts, Class C-cultivators Real Leaf Solutions, and privately-held, Driven Grow.
“I want to promote the growers… and the people that have been caregivers and the people that love it and not just to be some corporate logo.
Ryan Basore
Smoke on, Ryan, smoke on.
Listen to Ryan’s story and his journey in literally building his business from the ground up. Visit the Redemption website to see their video series so you can get to know his growers because, heller??? Gotta know what you puffin’ on.
CannaCultureConnect 