In efforts to right the wrongs of the war on drugs, Maryland lawmakers are pushing for marijuana legalization. Lawmakers have created House Bill 32, which aims to legalize the possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana—and more importantly, expunge past marijuana convictions. The bill’s supporters believe that eliminating previous charges is absolutely imperative, with sponsor Del. Jazz Lewis declaring, “Any legalization bill is meaningless if it does not address record expungement.”
Lewis also noted that the measure “…takes marijuana production and sales off the streets and ensures regulated, labeled, lab-tested products while creating thousands of new good jobs, businesses and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue to serve the community.”
HB 32 is one of two marijuana-related bills the Maryland House panel has heard this year—the other, SB 708, differs mainly in its licensing approach. HB 32 would allow for an unlimited number of microbusiness licenses, while SB 708 is in talks to cut its maximum number of retail licenses from 200 to 100. The house has yet to vote on SB 32, but we hope they do for the sake of those who currently struggle to find success with a marijuana arrest, charge, or conviction on their records. People should not be defined and dismissed by their use of a substance that is legal in neighboring states.
If you have a marijuana-related criminal record that you think could be eligible for an expunction, reach out to the friendly faces at Easy Expunctions. Our goal is to help you get a clean record so that you can pursue any opportunity you want. Give us a call to get started: (877) 628-1214