President Biden has issued a proclamation that pardons federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses. He is urging state governors to do the same.
Scott West is deputy public advocate with the State Department of Public Advocacy. He believes Governor Beshear should consider such action for those convicted on state possession charges. He doesn’t see this action affecting levels of use of pot.
“But I don’t think they will say Ok now it’s been pardoned we can go do these things and I wouldn’t have done it otherwise, but now because people are getting pardoned I’m going to. I just don’t think use of marijuana is one of those things that people do a cost-benefit analysis of it before they engage in it,” said West.
West said there’s a wide range of views on the seriousness of marijuana. He remembers practicing in far west Kentucky around 15 years ago when possession might mean jail time in one county and in the adjacent county, only a fine. West said a possession conviction can prove to be a barrier to employment years after use.
West said the use of marijuana leading to other illegal drugs is not the issue when it comes to pardons.
“If it is a gateway for an individual and it opens up the gate and that person goes and because of this goes and commits other crimes, crimes aren’t being pardoned. So, they’re still there. The biggest impact that pardons on simple possession of marijuana will have is on people who, that’s the only thing they got,” said West.
West noted a marijuana possession can follow an individual for years and affect employment opportunities. He added he’s been concerned for a long time about an over-representation of the black community in marijuana possession cases.
