On June 17, Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued pardons for low-level marijuana convictions for an estimated 100,000 people, in what is being hailed as "one of the nation's most sweeping acts of clemency" involving cannabis. The executive order, timed to coincide with Juneteenth, represents the largest pardon for misdemeanor cannabis possession charges for any state in the country and makes Maryland the first state to pardon some convictions for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
The historic action, according to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, "is about equity; it is about racial justice." While the order applies to all who meet its criteria, it has a particularly significant impact on African Americans and other Marylanders of color who faced disproportionate arrests, convictions, and sentences for actions that are now lawful, following the state's legalization of recreational marijuana in a 2022 referendum that passed with 67% of the vote.
Despite legalization, many individuals still face barriers to employment, education, and homeownership due to past cannabis convictions. Governor Moore emphasized that these burdens disproportionately affect Black and Brown Marylanders, who were three times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than white Marylanders before legalization. The governor also highlighted the role of past drug policies in contributing to the mass incarceration of Black men and boys and limiting access to opportunities in communities of color, which helps explain Maryland's eight-to-one racial wealth gap.
The pardons are part of the administration's intentional effort to address Maryland's history of racial injustice. "No Marylander should face barriers to housing, employment, or education based on convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal," Governor Moore stated. "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."
Maryland joins a growing list of states and cities that have pardoned hundreds of thousands of marijuana convictions in recent years, following the legalization of cannabis in 24 states and Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden also pardoned roughly 6,500 people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law in 2022.
The executive order directs Maryland's state courts to update electronic dockets to reflect the pardons for misdemeanor marijuana possession and paraphernalia charges tied to marijuana use or possession. A process for individuals to apply for expungement is also included, although the automatic pardon does not remove convictions from people's records.
Reducing racial disparities in Maryland's criminal justice system is a top priority for Governor Moore, Attorney General Brown, and Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue, who are the first Black individuals to hold their respective offices in the state. They have formed a partnership to study racial bias across the entire continuum of the criminal system, recognizing that the enforcement of cannabis laws has been unequal treatment under the law.
As Attorney General Brown stated at the pardon announcement, "Cannabis convictions for hundreds of thousands of people here in Maryland were scarlet letters, modern-day shackles. This morning, I can almost hear the clang of those shackles falling to the floor." The pardons represent a significant step towards ensuring equal justice for all Marylanders, with Governor Moore committed to building a more equitable and just society that leaves no one behind.
The historic action, according to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, "is about equity; it is about racial justice." While the order applies to all who meet its criteria, it has a particularly significant impact on African Americans and other Marylanders of color who faced disproportionate arrests, convictions, and sentences for actions that are now lawful, following the state's legalization of recreational marijuana in a 2022 referendum that passed with 67% of the vote.
Despite legalization, many individuals still face barriers to employment, education, and homeownership due to past cannabis convictions. Governor Moore emphasized that these burdens disproportionately affect Black and Brown Marylanders, who were three times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than white Marylanders before legalization. The governor also highlighted the role of past drug policies in contributing to the mass incarceration of Black men and boys and limiting access to opportunities in communities of color, which helps explain Maryland's eight-to-one racial wealth gap.
The pardons are part of the administration's intentional effort to address Maryland's history of racial injustice. "No Marylander should face barriers to housing, employment, or education based on convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal," Governor Moore stated. "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."
Maryland joins a growing list of states and cities that have pardoned hundreds of thousands of marijuana convictions in recent years, following the legalization of cannabis in 24 states and Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden also pardoned roughly 6,500 people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law in 2022.
The executive order directs Maryland's state courts to update electronic dockets to reflect the pardons for misdemeanor marijuana possession and paraphernalia charges tied to marijuana use or possession. A process for individuals to apply for expungement is also included, although the automatic pardon does not remove convictions from people's records.
Reducing racial disparities in Maryland's criminal justice system is a top priority for Governor Moore, Attorney General Brown, and Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue, who are the first Black individuals to hold their respective offices in the state. They have formed a partnership to study racial bias across the entire continuum of the criminal system, recognizing that the enforcement of cannabis laws has been unequal treatment under the law.
As Attorney General Brown stated at the pardon announcement, "Cannabis convictions for hundreds of thousands of people here in Maryland were scarlet letters, modern-day shackles. This morning, I can almost hear the clang of those shackles falling to the floor." The pardons represent a significant step towards ensuring equal justice for all Marylanders, with Governor Moore committed to building a more equitable and just society that leaves no one behind.
