Pennsylvania begins large-scale pardons for nonviolent cannabis convictions

A week ago, Gov. Tom Wolf and Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman unveiled their plans for a one-off coordinated effort to pardon thousands of Pennsylvanians jailed on minor, non-violent cannabis-related charges. The initiative, called the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project, is open to individuals with certain minor, non-violent criminal convictions related to cannabis. These convictions may include possession with intent to sell or use cannabis.

In his press briefing, Gov. Wolf said he had urged the Republican-led state legislature to legalize recreational cannabis. But despite his many calls for cannabis action, the General Assembly has continued to ignore his demands and the wishes of most residents. Like Wolf, Lieutenant Governor Fetterman supports cannabis legislation. Both executives say they remain committed to helping residents negatively impacted by the war on cannabis.

Pennsylvania has a legal medical marijuana market, which it legalized in 2016. A recent poll found that at least 58% of registered voters support further cannabis reforms.

A chance for all Pennsylvanians

The lack of adult cannabis action in Pennsylvania has left thousands of residents turned away for much-needed jobs, support and opportunities. This measure, proposed by the state government, will give everyone the opportunity to boost their careers, rev up, get help and sign up for opportunities. According to the governor and his deputy, applications for marijuana pardons are processed by the Pennsylvania Parolees Board.

Although thousands of Pennsylvanians are eligible for this pardon, only those who apply will be considered. Anyone convicted of non-violent cannabis convictions in the last few decades is eligible to apply. The PA Marijuana Pardon Program is open to Pennsylvanians of any age with up to two cannabis offenses on their records.

Eligible candidates can apply now

Shortly after the governor briefed the press last Thursday, the doors to the filing of pardons were opened. This submission process runs until the end of the month, Friday, September 30, 2022. Affected residents can apply for an accelerated pardon online via the one-off initiative. The process is seamless. Once the applicant has submitted their documents, they will be contacted weeks later for further questions or follow-up procedures.

The Pardon Project is open to individuals with one or two convictions for low-level cannabis possession or use. The program coordinators have a list of specific crimes that would qualify for this project. Lt. Gov Fetterman promised the initiative would give many families a second chance to stand out and thrive in the state. The state deputy stated that the current laws had harmed deserving Pennsylvanians. No one deserves to be denied housing, employment, or volunteer service at regular events because of a minor, nonviolent weed conviction. It’s even worse for adults who got their conviction decades ago when Schedule 1 was first introduced.

Fetterman says the sensible approach to dealing with all of these is a measure to legalize the drug; However, since GOP lawmakers have refused to do the right thing, the Marijuana Pardon Project is the next best thing that could happen. “Most of these accusations that prevent residents from advancing their careers or living better lives should actually be considered illegal at this time and age,” Fetterman explained.

A trick to get re-elected or not?

There is speculation that the governor and his vice mate are doing this to secure a Democratic victory in the upcoming November election. The two leading party candidates running for Pennsylvania governor are radically opposed to marijuana reform, with one supporting legalization and the other calling it a “stupid idea” that has turned other states into chumps. A quick look at the history of the governor and his deputy governor’s support for cannabis before and during the tenure shows that they have always been in favor of cannabis reform.

Throughout his tenure, Wolf has made criminal justice reform a top priority, making Pennsylvania a pioneer of pardon reform. Wolf has pardoned 2,098 people since taking office; 326 were included in a comprehensive assessment on minor marijuana-related charges. In the 15 years prior to Wolf’s administration, Pennsylvania granted only 1,805 pardons.

On the other hand, Fetterman is known for drawing the ire of Republican lawmakers when he planted a flag made of cannabis leaves on the patio of his state office building. He recently won the Democratic Party’s nomination for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. According to Fetterman, Democrats’ success in this year’s general election could depend on support for cannabis legislation. On Labor Day, while they were both in Pittsburgh for the city’s holiday celebration, he called on President Joe Biden to use his executive power to speed up the decriminalization of cannabis.

Fetterman, who previously served as the former mayor of the small Rust Belt town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, criticized his opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz and his current anti-cannabis stance.

He said he didn’t want to hear anything from Oz’s campaign, which is trying to equate cannabis decriminalization with very harmful crime. “Are we really supposed to believe that neither he nor his associates ever used marijuana?” he asked. “As Mayor of Braddock, I have made it my mission to tackle big crime. I’ve personally seen what true crime looks like. Marijuana does not meet the criteria related to cannabis use.

Criticism of Fetterman’s stance on marijuana legalization comes despite Oz’s previous support for marijuana law changes, including a 2020 interview in which he stated that marijuana is one of America’s underutilized tools and that the country is its radically change attitudes towards marijuana.

bottom line

Wolf and Fetterman’s goal of pardoning thousands of Pennsylvanians on minor cannabis charges may be the state’s only chance to implement cannabis reform projects. That’s because cannabis legalization wasn’t a prominent issue in the state’s upcoming gubernatorial campaign. As expected, the success of this program could convince the Republican-led legislature of the need for cannabis reform and sway the popular vote in the upcoming election in favor of the Democrats.

MORE ABOUT PENN WEED, READ MORE..

PENN APPROVES REC WEED, READ MORE, CLICK HERE!