Massachusetts Governor Unveils ‘Nation-Leading’ Marijuana Pardon Plan

By Patrick Wilson

In a move dubbed “nation-leading” in scope, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced plans Wednesday to pardon all prior state convictions for simple marijuana possession.

The proposed blanket pardon would forgive misdemeanor possession convictions in Massachusetts courts before March 13, 2024, but would exclude charges involving distribution, trafficking or impaired driving.

Healey’s office estimates the pardon could impact “hundreds of thousands” of state residents, though an exact number is unknown.

“The reason we do this is simple: justice requires it,” Healey stated, calling it the broadest cannabis pardon ever announced by a U.S. governor.

The pardons would be automatically applied in most cases. Those requiring documentation can apply through an online form.

The plan aims to clear records and provide relief for residents impacted by convictions that are now obsolete following Massachusetts’ legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016.

If approved, the sweeping pardon would be an unprecedented step in righting past wrongs from the war on drugs through mass expungement of low-level cannabis offenses.

Healey framed it as a matter of justice and equitable reform, even as cannabis remains illegal at the federal level.

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