A day after President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of "simple possession" of marijuana under federal law, Massachusetts' candidates for governor weighed in on what kind of action they would take on the state level regarding such crimes.
There is no one currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana possession and the president's pardon covers just 2% of cases nationwide. The rest are at the state level, meaning it's up to the governors to make the real difference.
Massachusetts will choose a new governor next month. Democrat Maura Healey said if she's elected she will follow the president's lead.
“We've legalized marijuana. It has been working well over the last few years that we've had that and I think this is a matter of fairness. It's a matter of justice. It just doesn't make sense to hold people back for simple marijuana possession."
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Her Republican opponent Geoff Diehl, points out there are still restrictions on how much marijuana people in Massachusetts are allowed to have and those limits have to be respected.
"I'm all for allowing for people who have that definition of under those possession amounts to get that pardon. But I'm not for totally decriminalizing it. That's something you have to do with the legislature."
The most significant effect of the pardon is lifting the stigma that comes with a pot possession conviction on your record. Attorney and Legal analyst Michael Coyne said there are practical reasons beyond that that can be life-altering.
“For instance, I have a young man interested in law enforcement and he does have a conviction for possession and it has been a concern to him that it will preclude him from having the career that he wants."
A pardon could also make it easier for someone to get a loan, rent an apartment or get a professional certification.
