Kyle Page,  is a former Kansas cannabis prisoner whose life captures the arc from prohibition to legalization: first incarcerated in the late 1990s for marijuana possession, he later moved into the “legacy” cannabis market in California, where an interstate trafficking case led to a second, much longer  sentence of  82 months— the years he spent separated from his family, including most of his daughter’s adolescence. With support from cannabis-justice advocates and his prison bunkmate Donte West, Page rebuilt his life, entered the legal cannabis industry as a cultivation technician at Ascend Wellness in his home State of New Jersey , the laws in New Jersey  N.J.A.C. 17:30-7.11 and 17:30-7.12  disqualified Kyle Page and he was terminated because of his felony cannabis conviction,  and began using his story to push for expungement, reentry support, and fairness for people still harmed by outdated marijuana laws—turning personal loss into public advocacy.

   

Kyle Page working with Attorney Chirali Patel of Blaze Responsibly and Donte West, Ascend Wellness granted him majority ownership in retail dispensary in  Eaton town, New Jersey called “ EAST COASTING “ set to open in 2026.