He May Be the Only American Sent to Prison for the Pot Tax

The Cannabis Operator Prosecutors Got Like Al Capone

In this first-person commentary, Ryan Richmond argues that after marijuana charges failed, federal authorities turned to tax law—specifically Section 280E—to win the conviction that sent him to prison.

Editor’s note: This essay is a first-person opinion piece by Ryan Richmond. It reflects the author’s recollections, views, and legal arguments about his prosecution and the use of Section 280E against cannabis operators. High Times has edited the piece for clarity, length, and context.

My name is Ryan Richmond: former medical marijuana dispensary owner and now a convicted felon. I served one year in federal prison on a two-year sentence. My probation will soon be over. Here’s the part that surprises people: I didn’t go to prison for selling weed. I went because the government couldn’t make that narrative stick, so it did what it often does in that situation—it reached for another weapon and won.

As you might imagine, I had a lot of time to think in Morgantown Federal Prison in West Virginia—time to read, time to write, to research, and to reflect—and I took full advantage of it.

The Wild West of Michigan Medical Marijuana

My story began in 2009 and ended in, well, I’m sure it never ends. After the 2008 Michigan medical marijuana initiative’s 63% landslide victory, a few partners and I started Clinical Relief in Ferndale. We became the first licensed medical marijuana dispensary in the state. That’s not bragging; it’s for context. Being early meant there was no real precedent and very little guidance. This was the wild west, and we were pioneers.

Fast forward. Just before saying my goodbyes to my wife and children, as I was preparing for prison, my appellate lawyer, Stu, told …

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Author: Ryan Richmond / High Times