Poli Alert Political & Civics
Related Articles
Jimmy Williams
Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued a sweeping executive order on Monday, pardoning more than 175,000 marijuana convictions. The order specifically impacts misdemeanor charges for individuals found guilty of possessing small amounts of marijuana.
Of the pardoned convictions, over 150,000 are for simple possession of cannabis. Another 18,000 are misdemeanors related to the use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia.
“Today we take a big step in enacting the kinds of policies that can reverse the harm of the past and to help us to work together to build a brighter future,” Moore said at a press conference. “This is a really big deal.”
Moore emphasized the significance of this action in an interview with the Washington Post, highlighting its potential to address decades of social and economic injustice that disproportionately affected people of color. “I’m ecstatic that we have a real opportunity with what I’m signing to right a lot of historical wrongs,” he 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 color.”
The governor noted that criminal records have often been used to deny people employment, housing, and educational opportunities. Baltimore City accounts for about 25% of the convictions being pardoned, according to the governor’s office.
Adult-use recreational marijuana was legalized in Maryland in 2022, joining the District of Columbia and 24 other states that have legalized the drug. In 2022, President Biden pardoned all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana to address racial disparities in the justice system, and urged local officials to take similar actions.
A pardon is a complete forgiveness that absolves an individual from the guilt of a criminal offense, restoring civil liberties lost due to the conviction. However, it does not expunge a person’s criminal record, a power reserved for the judicial branch. Expungement laws in Maryland were adjusted in 2022 to start wiping out marijuana-related convictions if this was the only crime on a person’s record.
People who received the pardon do not need to take any action. They can verify their inclusion online or at a public courthouse kiosk. Those eligible but not included can apply for a pardon through the standard process.
This initiative by Governor Moore aims to rectify past injustices and promote a more equitable future for all Maryland residents.
