{"id":2270776,"date":"2024-06-18T16:33:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T20:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-governor-pardons-more-than-175k-marijuana-convictions\/"},"modified":"2024-06-18T16:40:05","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T20:40:05","slug":"maryland-governor-pardons-more-than-175k-marijuana-convictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-governor-pardons-more-than-175k-marijuana-convictions\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Governor Pardons Over 175,000 Marijuana Convictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaryland-governor-pardons-more-than-175k-marijuana-convictions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2270776&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, has signed an executive order that grants pardons to over 175,000 individuals \u200cwith misdemeanor marijuana convictions. This action,\u200b taking place \u200da \u2064year after the\u200c legalization of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-is-for-stoners-commonwealth-becomes-16th-state-to-legalize-marijuana\/\" title=\"Virginia Is For Stoners: Commonwealth Becomes 16th State To Legalize Marijuana\">recreational marijuana<\/a> in the state, is set to impact approximately \u2063100,000 people \u2063convicted \u200cof simple possession of cannabis or\u2063 possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia. The pardons are notable\u2064 as Maryland is the first state to mass pardon individuals for \u2063drug paraphernalia-related\u2064 offenses. \u2062Governor \u200dMoore emphasized the importance \u200dof aligning the benefits of legalization with addressing\u200b past criminalization impacts. His \u2063office\u200b highlighted the \u200bcommitment to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stimulus-update-applications-for-rebate-payment-worth-up-to-318-open-in-one-day\/\" title=\"Rebate payment applications worth up to 8 now open within 24 hours\">promoting social equity<\/a> and removing barriers in housing, employment, or education for those affected. Attorney General Anthony Skywatchers have described the pardons as \u2062a\u2062 pivotal step for \u200dracial justice, acknowledging the disproportionate impact past laws had on African Americans and other people of color.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p>Maryland Democratic Governor Wes Moore signed an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ar-aa12ghmp\/\" title=\"Biden to pardon marijuana offenses - Pardon could signal shift in federal law\">executive order pardoning<\/a> more than 175,000 marijuana convictions on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Moore\u2019s mass pardons come a year after the state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-legalizes-recreational-marijuana\/\" title=\"New York Legalizes Recreational Marijuana\">legalized recreational marijuana<\/a> and are estimated to affect around 100,000 people who have misdemeanor convictions for simple possession of cannabis or for possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, NBC News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/politics-news\/maryland-governor-announces-pardons-175000-marijuana-convictions-rcna157466\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a>. With Moore\u2019s executive order, Maryland became the first state to issue mass pardons for people convicted of crimes related to owning drug paraphernalia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot celebrate the benefits of legalization if we do not address the consequences of criminalization,\u201d Moore said. \u201cSo I want to be clear: When it comes to cannabis, rolling out one of the best and most equitable legal markets in the country is incredibly important. But that rollout must go hand in hand with pardoning past conduct, and Maryland is going to lead by example.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The governor\u2019s office added that it \u201cis committed to promoting social equity and ensuring the fair and equitable administration of justice. Because the use and possession of cannabis is no longer illegal in the state, Marylanders should not continue to face barriers to housing, employment, or educational opportunities based on convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maryland Democratic Attorney General Anthony Brown said Monday\u2019s pardons are \u201cabout racial justice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile the order applies to all who meet its criteria, the impact is a triumphant victory for African Americans and other Marylanders of color who were disproportionately arrested, convicted and sentenced for actions yesterday that are lawful today,\u201d Brown said, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/17\/us\/maryland-marijuana-pardon-wes-moore.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Maryland is one of 24 states, along with Washington, D.C., that has legalized recreational marijuana. While other states and jurisdictions have issued pardons for low-level marijuana offenses, Moore\u2019s executive order stands out as one of the largest pardons for those convicted of cannabis-related crimes, <a href=\"https:\/\/norml.org\/marijuana\/fact-sheets\/marijuana-pardons-and-expungements-by-the-numbers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according<\/a> to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Earlier this year, Massachusetts Democratic Governor Maura Healey also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/03\/14\/1238653870\/massachusetts-gov-maura-healey-pardons-marijuana-possession-convictions#:~:text=Maura%20Healey%20pardons%20marijuana%20possession%20convictions%20Massachusetts%20Gov.,or%20driving%20under%20the%20influence.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">issued<\/a> mass pardons for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aoc-complains-that-biden-didnt-pardon-illegal-alien-potheads\/\" title=\"AOC Complains That Biden Didn't Pardon Illegal Alien Potheads\">marijuana possession convictions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1716990157394000&#038;usg=AOvVaw33qQydjIo8bet419amChif\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/biden-admin-moves-to-reclassify-marijuana-as-less-dangerous-drug\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reportedly<\/a> looking to reclassify recreational marijuana as a Schedule III substance, downgrading the drug from Schedule I, where it sits alongside heroin and LSD. According to Campus Drug Prevention, an official U.S. government website, Schedule I drugs \u201care <a href=\"https:\/\/www.campusdrugprevention.gov\/content\/drug-scheduling-and-penalties\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">defined<\/a> as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,\u201d while Schedule III drugs \u201care defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, signed an executive order on Monday, pardoning over 175,000 individuals with misdemeanor marijuana convictions. This action, affecting roughly 100,000 people, follows a year after the state legalized recreational marijuana. The pardons cover simple possession and intent to use drug paraphernalia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":2270777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2155819057-scaled-e1718734730927.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2270776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2155819057-scaled-e1718734730927.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2270776"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270776\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2270777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2270776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2270776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2270776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}