The governor of the American state of Maryland, Democrat Wes Moore, announced this Monday (17) a pardon for around 100,000 people convicted in state cases of possession of small amounts of marijuana and paraphernalia for drug consumption.
According to information from CNN, these pardons concern more than 175,000 convictions – some people received state pardons for more than one conviction.
“This is about changing the way government and society view those who have been denied opportunities because of broken and discriminatory public policies,” Moore said.
In November 2022, the population of Maryland approved in a referendum the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana for people over 21 years of age.
Democratic politicians have promoted initiatives related to the drug: in May, President Joe Biden’s government announced the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, moving from Schedule I, the category where heroin and LSD are found, to Schedule III, along with ketamine and some anabolic steroids.
The recreational use of marijuana is permitted in 24 American states, three United States territories and the federal capital, Washington.
In December last year, Biden enacted a presidential pardon to pardon people convicted of possession and use of marijuana in federal territories and the District of Columbia. It was the extension of a pardon announced in October 2022, when she pardoned all those convicted at the federal level for possession of marijuana.
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