Maryland Governor scraps 175,000 marijuana convictions in historic move
Wes Moore makes history by becoming Maryland's first black governor
Democratic Governor of Maryland Wes Moore pardons over 175,000 marijuana convictions on Monday (June 17) inarguably the most comprehensive reversal of drug policy in the United States.
Moore's proposalapply to around 100,000 individuals found guilty of misdemeanor marijuana possession offenses. Across the nation, marijuana is becoming more and more legal to use for both medical and recreational purposes.
"I’m ecstatic that we have a real opportunity with what I’m signing to write a lot of historical wrongs," Moore stated. "If you want to be able to create inclusive economic growth, it means you have to start removing these barriers that continue to disproportionately sit on communities of colour."
The wave of pardons, according to Moore's administration, is scheduled to fall on Wednesday's Juneteenth holiday.
Although its neighbours, Virginia and Washington, DC, still retain certain limitations, Maryland has completely legalised the cannabis trade inside its boundaries since 2023. Neither of Washington, DC and Virginia jurisdictions have granted pardons for marijuana-related offenses.
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Democratic attorney general of Maryland Anthony Brown applauded Moore's pardon.
"While the pardons will extend to anyone and everyone with a misdemeanor conviction for the possession of marijuana or paraphernalia, this unequivocally, without any doubt or reservation, disproportionately impacts — in a good way — Black and Brown Marylanders," Brown said.
"We are arrested and convicted at higher rates for possession and use of marijuana when the rate at which we used it was no different than any other category of people," he continued.
According to the Washington Post, Maryland officials stated that the pardons, which would also apply to the deceased, would not result in the release of anybody from jail because no one is currently incarcerated. Given that it is lawful for anyone in the state to possess minor amounts of cannabis, misdemeanor cannabis crimes result in short punishments and no longer carry criminal prosecutions.
(With inputs from agencies)
