Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced that he will pardon more than 175,000 people who had state convictions related to misdemeanor marijuana offenses.

This mass pardon, set to be issued on Monday, is one of the largest acts of clemency for marijuana convictions in the United States. In an interview, Governor Moore said, “I’m ecstatic that we have a real opportunity with what I’m signing to right a lot of historical wrongs. If you want to be able to create inclusive economic growth, it means you have to start removing these barriers that continue to disproportionately sit on communities of color.”

According to the Governor’s office, the pardons will not result in the release of prisoners as marijuana charges rarely result in incarceration within the state. Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown also commented on the announcement, saying, “While the pardons will extend to anyone and everyone with a misdemeanor conviction for the possession of marijuana or paraphernalia, this unequivocally, without any doubt or reservation, disproportionately impacts — in a good way — Black and Brown Marylanders.”

The Governor’s decision aligns with recent trends in other states, including Massachusetts, which has pardoned a large number of marijuana-related convictions.