Maryland governor issues pardons for more than 175,000 marijuana convictions

On Monday June 17, Maryland’s governor issued pardons for more than 175,000 marijuana convictions.

This initiative comes almost two years after Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana for people 21 and older.

Maryland marijuana convictions pardons

The pardons by Gov. Wes Moore will forgive low-level marijuana possession and certain paraphernalia charges, the governor’s office said  noting it was possible for a person to have more than one conviction pardoned.

“This is about changing how both government and society view those who have been walled off from opportunity because of broken and uneven policies,” Moore said at a signing event Monday.

Disproportionate impact

The governor described his executive order as “the most sweeping state-level pardon” in the country’s history.

Acknowledging the disproportionate impact the issue has on Black and brown people, the event coincided this week with Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the US, The Washington Post reported.

Maryland marijuana convictions pardon stats

The executive order will result in the pardons of more than 150,000 misdemeanor convictions for simple possession of cannabis and more than 18,000 misdemeanor convictions for use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, the governor office said. About 25% of those convictions stem from the city of Baltimore.