Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order Thursday pardoning 2,732 residents who were convicted of possessing an ounce or less of marijuana.
The blanket pardons were issued only to those convicted at the state level, meaning those convicted on municipal offenses were not included in the order.
“It’s ridiculous how being written up for smoking a joint in the 1970’s has followed some Coloradans throughout their lives and gotten in the way of their success,” said Polis in a statement.
“Too many Coloradans have been followed their entire lives by a conviction for something that is no longer a crime, and these convictions have impacted their job status, housing, and countless other areas of their lives.”
Colorado was the first state in the country to legalize marijuana back in 2014, with 10 states and the District of Columbia following suit.
Colorado’s General Assembly paved the way for the pardons by passing a bill earlier this year called the…
