Posted on 06/17/2024 7:28:47 PM PDT by Morgana
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has pardoned more than 175,000 marijuana convictions - the largest in the United States - in an effort to give convicts 'a fresh start.'
The Democrat declared the move the 'most sweeping state-level pardon in any state,' and said it will help reverse harms caused by the War on Drugs as he signed the order on Monday.
It will include more than 150,000 misdemeanor convictions for simple possession and more than 18,000 misdemeanor convictions for use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, the governor's office says.
Some individuals may even have more than one conviction pardoned under the order.
'We are taking actions that are intentional, that are sweeping and unapologetic, and this is the largest such action in our nation's history,' Moore said at a news conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
How is this giving them a fresh start when Maryland has taken away their career and livelihood by making marijuana legal?
They were busted when it was illegal?
Looking for votes?
It is my opinion that at this point in time, the only reason the feds are determined to keep marijuana illegal at their level, is so they can use its use against gun owners. They know that a great number of crusty baby boomers (not to mention subsequent generations) use the stuff AND own guns. I’m of that era, and while I’ve never so much as tried the stuff, and have no intention to ever do so, it is legal in an increasing number of states, and I think the feds are trying to figure out how to use that against Americans, without starting a revolution.
The devil is in the details. A lot of convictions for possession are the results of a plea bargain deal, with the defendant pleading guilty to evade the much more serious charges for which he was arrested.
Are we supposed to think that the MD officials have individually examined each of these pardons? Of course not. We are not supposed to think.
I don’t know the rules in MD, but I wonder if restoring voting rights prior to the election to a large number of baseline democrat voters might have been a factor.
dumping them on the street to insure dems hold MD
If they are pardoned, will that restore their voting rights?
Oh, would the #ComDem’s do something like that to win an election?
YES.
don't use, don't care to use, tried it once decades ago and since I have poor lung capacity so I couldn't even smoke properly...that's my excuse and I' sticking to it...
At the federal level, almost 100% of marijuana convictions involve a plea deal, or a probation violation, or a parole violation.
At the state level, that percentage is lower, but not hugely lower.
The pardon might be fair for people who got convicted in the 1960s and 1970s, when marijuana laws and enforcement were a lot more strict.
I applaud the governors pardoning low level offenders relative to the use of weed. I have a big problem with the fact that many convictions for the minor problem with weed is a plea bargain that reduced a major crime to a very small crime. If you smoke a little weed I do not care. If you are a lifetime criminal I do care.
yep. For the Senate seat.
Pardoning is one thing, not expunging the criminal record still keeps them entangled with the criminal justice system.
You don’t lose your voting rights over a misdemeanor pot conviction.
Bears repeating. The people being pardoned can already vote.
This does not include the dealers.
There is such an easy way to avoid all this. Just don’t use weed. Your life will be much better in all cases, no matter it’s legality
Allowing a little weed is like saying a little bit of fag books in schools is ok. It is not
There are few dealers who exclusively
sell marijuana. And often they are in ol Ed in other crimes.
I know there are some small timers but Im guessing that’s not what we have here.
There are few dealers who exclusively
sell marijuana. And often they are involved in other crimes.
I know there are some small timers but Im guessing that’s not what we have here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.