Advocates in Maine are urging local and state officials to take more steps to reduce the harmful effects of the criminalization of marijuana.
On Thursday, President Biden pardoned thousands of people who've been charged with simple possession of marijuana under federal law. He urged governors to take the same steps for those charged under state laws.
Meagan Sway, the policy director with the ACLU of Maine, said those actions are a solid first step, as criminalization of the drug has disproportionately harmed Black and Brown communities for decades. But Sway said a pardon won't remove a conviction from someone's criminal record, affecting their ability to secure a job or housing. She said lawmakers should create pathways for those records to be wiped clean.
"But because criminal records follow you for the rest of your life, unless we deal with those records, pardon alone is not enough to address the harms," she said.
Sway is also encouraged that the president is directing federal agencies to review how cannabis is scheduled under federal law. Because cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, Sway said, tenants in federally subsidized housing can still get kicked out for using it.
"That's one example of the ways in which keeping it as a scheduled drug can still hurt people, even while Maine has moved away from that model of dealing with cannabis," she said.
Maine decriminalized possessing small amounts of the drug in 1976. Biden's pardon also doesn't apply to other marijuana convictions, such as for possession with intent to distribute.
A spokesperson for Gov. Janet Mills said that Maine has long been a leader in its approach, and the governor "does not want to see Maine people who pose no threat to public safety" held back because of a "years-old conviction on their record."
"If someone believes they are being unduly impacted, she strongly encourages them to apply for Executive Clemency, and she will give their application serious consideration," said spokesperson Lindsay Crete.
