California News
Massachusetts becomes first state to blanket pardon low-level marijuana charges
Massachusetts is now the first state to pardon the crimes of offenders charged with simple pot possession — after President Joe Biden did the same two years ago.
Gov. Maura Healey’s first-in-the-nation plan to issue a blanket pardon for simple marijuana possession was met with the unanimous approval of the Governor’s Council on Wednesday, when councilors expressed broad support but wondered if it went far enough for the potentially hundreds of thousands of people hit by the state’s now-defunct marijuana laws.
Healey’s pardon, according to the request for consent she sent to the council, would apply to “all adult persons who, on or before the date of this letter, have been convicted of a misdemeanor of possession of marijuana.”