Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate, announced on Thursday the creation of a new program to pardon past convictions for marijuana offenses. Dubbed the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project, the initiative is a “coordinated effort for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions,” according to a statement from the governor’s office.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman on Thursday launched a new program to pardon … [+]
Wolf and Fetterman have long advocated for the legalization of recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania, where lawmakers legalized medical marijuana in 2016. In 2019, Fetterman embarked on a 98-day tour to visit each of the state’s 67 counties to hold town hall meetings on legalization, after which he estimated up to 70% of residents support continued marijuana reform.
“I have repeatedly called on our Republican-led General Assembly to support the legalization of adult-use marijuana, but they’ve yet to meet this call for action from myself and Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said on Wednesday. “Until they do, I am committed to doing everything in my power to support Pennsylvanians who have been adversely affected by a minor marijuana offense on their record.
Pardon Applications Now Being Accepted
The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons began accepting…