Jumal George is a 33-year-old budtender at Housing Works, New York City’s first legal cannabis dispensary. Despite marijuana being legal in New York State, George still found himself in the criminal legal system because it is illegal under federal law.
What should've been a routine traffic stop on October 11 turned into a disaster for George. George unfortunately left his license at home. Officers then found a warrant against him in Pennsylvania for several cannabis-related charges dating back to 2021.
George has been working to rectify his legal challenges, but he missed a hearing after one of the dates was suddenly moved up. This prompted the warrant against him. Officers detained George. Two days later, he was sentenced to seven days in Rikers for driving without a license.
Seven days turned into three weeks and a pending extradition to Pennsylvania. The cannabis community in NYC rallied support around George, noting the contradiction of a legal budtender potentially being extradited for marijuana.
A GoFundMe was created to support his legal defense and bail, raising $18,674 so far. George has since posted bail on a $20,000 bond and is home safe again. But his situation mirrors a growing problem with legal cannabis. The lack of uniform legality around cannabis allows for it to still be criminalized. George is proof that this needs to end.