Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced plans on Wednesday to pardon those in the state who have been convicted of simple marijuana possession. If approved by the Governor’s Council, the pardons would apply to all prior adult misdemeanor convictions for marijuana possession.
“We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of convictions,” Healey said. “It’s a sweeping, blanket pardon - all misdemeanor convictions for possession.”
Healey said the pardons, if approved by the council, will be “automatic.”
“People do not need to do anything,” she said. “You will be pardoned and it will be cleared from your record.”
Marijuana has been legal in Massachusetts for 6 years now - I assumed they had already done this. Regardless of your feelings on the topic, it doesn’t make sense to keep people in jail for behavior that is now legal