As more and more states across the United States are legalizing recreational cannabis use, should individuals with prior convictions for cannabis use be pardoned? This is what an executive order from Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore recently addressed, as he successfully pardoned 175,000 cannabis convictions across the State of Maryland relating to both cannabis and drug paraphernalia possession, which marks the first time any state within the U.S. has taken such action.
"Maryland made history when we legalized cannabis by referendum,” Governor Moore said in a press release. “But we cannot celebrate the benefits of legalization while forgetting the consequences of criminalization. No Marylander should face barriers to housing, employment, or education based on convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal. Today, we take a big step forward toward ensuring equal justice for all. But this won't be our last effort. We must continue to move in partnership to build a state and society that is more equitable, more just, and leaves no one behind.”
In November 2022, the 67.2 percent of Maryland voters approved a referendum legalizing recreational cannabis for individuals 21 years of age or older and for up to 1.5 ounces of possession, which took effect on July 1, 2023.
As noted, this is the first time any state government has pardoned past cannabis convictions, which could potentially open the doors for other states to follow suit, as well. Currently, 38 states have legalized medical cannabis and 24 have legalized recreational cannabis, but the number of states continues to grow almost every year. Additionally, this comes as the U.S. Department of Justice has taken steps to potentially reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III, meaning criminal prosecutions would be lessened for marijuana across the country, should this rescheduling be approved.
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Sources: Cannabis Science and Technology, Wikipedia, Wikipedia (1), U.S. Department of Justice
