Posted on 12/31/2019 11:20:48 AM PST by Olog-hai
llinois’ governor granted more than 11,000 pardons for low-level marijuana convictions on Tuesday, describing the step as a first wave of thousands of such expungements anticipated under the state’s new marijuana legalization law.
The expungement process is a key part of the law, which takes effect Wednesday and made Illinois the 11th state to legalize marijuana for people 21 or older. When they crafted the policy, Illinois lawmakers said they wanted to repair some of the damage caused by law enforcement’s efforts to combat sale and use of the drug, particularly in minority communities.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker announced the pardons at a church on Chicago’s South Side. He said clearing the misdemeanor offenses from individuals’ records will make it easier for them to get jobs, housing and financial aid for college.
State officials estimate that 116,000 convictions for possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana are eligible for pardons under the new law. […]
“We are ending the 50-year-long war on cannabis,” Pritzker said in a statement. “We are restoring rights to many tens of thousands of Illinoisans. We are bringing regulation and safety to a previously unsafe and illegal market. And we are creating a new industry that puts equity at its very core.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
pot thread. inbound.
50 year? 1969?
Exchanging freebies for votes is the tried and true way of the Rat.
Shmokey shmokey tokey tokey.
They are in full blown panic. How corrupt are they?
No one is above the law....
Oh wait.
I think this move to legalized dope is going to be both very good and very bad, but I’m glad to see it. It’s back like it was before prohibition for many.
To some it appears duplicitous but when your world view is morally relative it all makes sense.
JBT howls of poutrage in 3...2...1
I don’t have a problem with this. Many states are adapting expungement provisions in their law.
Law has changed, as it has for other states. No need to keep people locked up if the current law doesn’t call for it. Far too many were locked up for simple possession.
Aaaand, the vote-buying continues in the rat venues!
If they are clearing convictions that were for simple possession I have no problem with it, but if they are clearing dealers...................
Dem leaders feel guilty ..because petty crooks go away for much longer than they ever will for committing far worse crimes.
Good
The was on Marijuana was stewpet in the first place...
Was is never the answer.
How many dealers or people with other offenses plea bargained down to simple possession and will now be pardoned? If so, I hope that they will be grateful and not re-offend
It weren’t?
Damn smawt phone never seems to understand me...
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