Published in Ibicasa Magazine on 15/10/2024

Having a criminal record in the US – even for a minor crime – has been used to deny housing, employment and education to millions of people, long after their sentences have been served. Wes Moore, the governor of the state of Maryland, has recently pardoned over 175,000 citizens with low level marijuana convictions. He says, “These minor violations like possession or small sales should never have been crimes in the first place.” Black Americans have historically been more than three times as likely as white Americans to be arrested on marijuana charges, so these pardons also include a strong element of racial justice. This action by Maryland makes complete sense in light of the fact that marijuana is now totally legal in 24 of the 50 states (including Maryland), and partially legal in 14 more. It is in line with aggressive steps being taken by several other states that have sought to unwind the inequities of the criminal justice system that stem from minor marijuana convictions. The US Federal government still considers marijuana to be a dangerous drug. This is obviously ridiculous, and they are finally taking steps to re-classify marijuana, so that it can eventually become legal under federal law.