GI Mary Jane
Jul 28, 20202 min
Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan made a promise to her citizens that once cannabis was made legal in their state she would expense all part records and release all cannabis offenders, A verbal treaty with the people she represents.
It's been over 6 months now since cannabis became recreationally legal in Michigan and citizens have yet to see any first steps taken to make good of this verbal treaty. Currently there are over 10,000 residents with cannabis convictions and over 3,500 are still being held as POWs across the state.
The METRO TIMES reports: "In November, Michigan lawmakers introduced two bills designed to expunge pot-related offenses and make it easier for inmates to be pardoned and released from jail. But without a hearing or any action since, those bills have all but died, and about half of the lawmakers who introduced the legislation are no longer in office because of term limits.
Whitmer's office told the Metro Times that the governor "is open to discussing this issue with her legislative partners," but those conversations have yet to lead to active legislation."
With almost 15,000 Michigan residents having been negatively affected by the archaic drug laws that have finally been reformed to an extent in the state one would hope that a state representative would be quick to take action on the behalf of her constituents.
Cannabis users in Michigan are still being unfairly discriminated against with legislation prohibiting people with prior cannabis offenses from entering into the now legal industry. As the industry begins to open and evolve in Michigan, the people who were most negatively affected and should have access to prosper in this new industry are being left behind.