Maryland Governor Pardons 175,000 for Cannabis Convictions
In a historic move, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has pardoned over 175,000 individuals convicted of cannabis-related offenses. This action aims to rectify the “decades of harm caused by the war on drugs,” marking it as the most extensive state-level pardon in U.S. history.
Governor Moore described this executive order as the largest of its kind in the nation, emphasizing Maryland’s commitment to addressing past injustices. “Maryland is going to use this moment to right many historical wrongs,” he stated.
Cannabis legalization in Maryland has been in effect for nearly a year, with over half of Americans now residing in states where the drug is legal. Additionally, the federal government is reclassifying cannabis, and President Joe Biden has twice issued mass pardons for possession charges.
A prominent figure in the Democratic Party, Moore highlighted that Maryland has developed “one of the best and most equitable legal markets in the country” since legalization. However, he stressed that the benefits of legalization cannot be fully appreciated without addressing the repercussions of past criminalization.
A 2022 state report revealed that despite higher usage rates among white Marylanders, black residents were more than twice as likely to be arrested for possession before legalization. With one-third of the state’s population being black, the data shows that over two-thirds of incarcerated men are black.
Attorney General Anthony Brown praised the pardons as a necessary step to undo the “modern day shackles” of racial bias in cannabis policing. This pardon forgives all low-level or misdemeanor cannabis possession charges recorded in the state’s electronic court system, making Maryland the first state to extend pardons to paraphernalia charges as well.
People with older, paper-recorded convictions can apply for pardons, and these pardons also extend to those who are deceased. Although none of the individuals affected by this order are currently incarcerated, many have faced barriers to housing, employment, and education due to their criminal records.
In the U.S., federal, state, and local leaders have the authority to pardon citizens, restoring lost rights. In the past five years, at least nine states have issued pardons for low-level cannabis convictions. However, while pardons offer forgiveness, they do not necessarily seal or expunge criminal records. According to the Washington Post, these past convictions will be removed from criminal background check databases within ten months but will remain in public court records unless an expungement application is submitted.
