The ‘marijuana scarlet letter’ is a horrible thing to have to deal with. I know many, many people that have been convicted of a marijuana crime, and as a result, have to go about life being considered a criminal. It makes it very difficult to find a good job, rent a suitable place to live, and can even prevent someone from being able to do something as routine as volunteer to coach their kids sports teams. All because there were caught with a plant that is safer than alcohol. That is unacceptable.
The Connecticut Supreme Court recently ruled that some past marijuana convictions can be expunged from a person’s record. Per The Joint Blog:
The Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled that those convicted of past cannabis possession misdemeanors can have the charges erased from their record because the state decriminalized the substance in 2011. The ruling was unanimous, 7 to 0.
The court ruled in favor of Nicholas Menditto, overturning the ruling of a state Appellate Court which decided that Menditto couldn’t have his two cannabis possession convictions from 2009 removed from his record, despite the offenses no longer being criminal.
This is good news for people in Connecticut that fit the parameters of the ruling. However, no one should rest until marijuana is fully legalized in Connecticut, and every person that has ever been convicted of any marijuana crime in Connecticut can get their past convictions removed from their record. Connecticut is high on my list of states that are next in line to end marijuana prohibition.
