‘They’re Still In Prison For Cannabis’ Says 420-420 CEO: How One Text Campaign Seeks Justice
Travis Maurer, founder and CEO of 420-420, highlighted the power of text messaging to mobilize action and push for cannabis reform.
As the only SMS company approved by major carriers to deliver cannabis-related messaging, 420-420 has pioneered an innovative approach to advocacy by connecting people directly with legislators to fight for justice in cannabis-related cases.
A Mission for Justice
At the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, Maurer discussed the journey to secure approval for his SMS shortcode, 420420, from all major carriers, including Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, which culminated in April 2023. “We’ve had the shortcode since December 2011, and initially, it was only used for advocacy purposes,” Maurer said. But in 2021, the company sought special approval for cannabis-specific messaging—a challenging process that took nearly two years.
420-420’s text campaigns have proven to be highly impactful, most notably when Maurer’s …