Maryland recently joined the ranks of states offering mass pardons for individuals with marijuana-related convictions, reflecting a broader national effort to rectify the consequences of the war on drugs. Governor Wes Moore's initiative aims to pardon over 175,000 convictions for cannabis possession or drug paraphernalia, though these pardons will not permanently erase the records.
While approximately 2.5 million expungements and pardons for cannabis offenses have been recorded by NORML in recent years, this figure represents only a fraction of the estimated 30 million Americans arrested for marijuana-related charges over the past five decades.
Pardons grant forgiveness for crimes, restoring civil liberties like voting rights and gun ownership. Expungements, on the other hand, completely conceal conviction records, enabling individuals to access federal college tuition assistance, public housing, and participate in various activities.
Several states and cities, including Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Birmingham, and Kansas City, have implemented broad pardon initiatives similar to Maryland's. President Joe Biden has also issued multiple rounds of pardons for federal marijuana possession offenses, though the exact number of beneficiaries remains unclear.
The legalization of marijuana has prompted a reevaluation of past convictions, with many states incorporating provisions to clear records for prior marijuana offenses. Maryland, for instance, included an expungement-by-application clause in its recent marijuana legalization ballot measure.
Advocates argue that mass pardons and expungements, such as Maryland's approach, can help address racial disparities exacerbated by drug policies. Studies have shown that Black individuals are disproportionately affected by marijuana-related charges, despite similar usage rates compared to white counterparts.
By automatically pardoning and expunging eligible individuals, these policies aim to reduce disparities and provide relief to communities that have borne the brunt of punitive drug laws. Efforts like these underscore a broader shift towards rectifying the injustices perpetuated by decades of stringent drug enforcement.
