The Light-weight asked audience to weigh in on Gov. Maura Healey’s plan to problem a blanket pardon to those convicted of misdemeanor cannabis possession. If you want to comment on the challenge, send an e mail to [email protected]. Remember to involve your identify and call data for verification, and write “Marijuana” in the subject line.
Listed here are some of the responses we received:
“It is blatantly crystal clear that previous cannabis convictions have experienced a disproportionately negative effects on Black and Brown communities across our place. Incarceration fees for cannabis convictions are considerably higher in these communities, as properly.
“Gov. Healey has built the right phone, in my belief. There are presently too numerous limitations to economic and social fairness. Eradicating one is the minimum we can do. The voters turned down the use of cannabis as illegal yrs back.”
— Dawn Blake Souza
“Gov. Healey’s proposed govt pardon of incarcerated people today and these previously convicted of uncomplicated marijuana possession is truthful, humane and unquestionably will help you save significant taxpayer money. From all views this is a commendable govt motion.
“It will preserve taxpayers cash that is getting expended to incarcerate people who are serving time entirely for simple possession. These beforehand convicted of possession who have been denied work, housing, child custody or unsupervised visitation, and other gains offered to the normal general public, will be returned to a non-legal position and the onus of conviction will be lifted.
“With rampant unemployment in specified small business sectors, with employing indicators all over the place, positions will eventually be loaded. This will be a earn for firms in determined want of staff members and the taxes paid out by these employed will inure to all people of Massachusetts.
“And from a purely humanitarian perspective this is the right factor to do, specifically in check out of the a lot of states that have decriminalized very simple possession. And the moment yet again Massachusetts will direct in removing an unnecessary and unfair impediment that has been shown to disproportionately penalize sure much less privileged users of society.”
— Betty Ussach, Dartmouth
“I concur with the pardon only for those people today who have a clean up history right after their conviction of cannabis.”
— Larry Correia
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