Marijuana Moment: Maryland Governor Pardons More Than 175,000 Marijuana And Paraphernalia Convictions

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The governor of Maryland has pardoned more than 175,000 convictions for low-level marijuana and paraphernalia offenses—a sweeping clemency action that is being granted about a year after the state implemented cannabis legalization.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced the mass pardon on Monday, describing it as “the largest such action in our nation’s history” and noting that legalization alone “does not turn back the clock on decades of harm that was caused by this war on drugs.”

“We cannot celebrate the benefits of legalization if we do not address the consequences of criminalization,” he said at a press conference.

While the state’s legalization law created “one of the best and most equitable legal markets in the country,” Moore said “that rollout must go hand in hand with pardoning past conduct, and Maryland is going to lead by example.”

The pardons cover about 100,000 misdemeanor marijuana convictions and 75,000 paraphernalia cases. The clemency is also being offered posthumously in certain instances.

 

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) called the pardon action “long overdue.”

“As a nation, we’ve taken far too long to correct the injustices of a system that is supposed to be just for all,” he said. “Yet within an unprecedented time frame, governor, you took bold and courageous action.”

“Your action today is about equity. It’s about racial justice,” Brown told the governor. “While the order applies to all who meet its criteria, the impact is a triumphant victory for African Americans and other Marylanders of color who were disproportionately arrested, convicted and sentenced for actions yesterday that are lawful today. Today is momentous day for Maryland.”

This Administration has stood up what many believe is one of the most equitable and efficient adult-market cannabis rollouts of any state in history.

And yet, we know that legalization doesn’t turn back the clock on decades of harm caused by the War on Drugs.

— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) June 17, 2024

Sarah Gersten, executive director of Last Prisoner Project (LPP) said in a press release on Monday that “it has been nearly a year since Maryland passed full cannabis legalization, and at the same time that some are poised to profit off of this burgeoning industry, millions more remain burdened by the collateral consequences of a cannabis conviction.”

“LPP is proud to be part of today’s historic announcement which is a crucial step in beginning to right the wrongs of our failed approach to cannabis policy,” she said.

One of the only comparable examples of such state-level clemency happened in Massachusetts in April, when officials unanimously approved the governor’s proposal to pardon thousands of people with misdemeanor marijuana convictions of their records.

The Maryland governor’s pardons are unique in part because they include paraphernalia convictions, whereas other states have largely focused on cannabis possession cases.

Supporters also noted that this clemency is being granted in the background of President Joe Biden’s mass pardons for people who’ve committed federal marijuana possession offenses.

Meanwhile, in April, Maryland officials also announced the winners of a first-of-its-kind marijuana licensing lottery for social equity applicants across all license categories, approving 174 growers, processors and dispensaries.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

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