‘A big deal’: Mass. Gov. Healey set to issue pardons for people with simple marijuana convictions

BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday is expected to issue an executive order pardoning people with simple marijuana possession convictions.

The blanket pardon would erase arrest records for simple marijuana charges handed out for the possession of less than 28 grams or an ounce.

“I think it’s great and I think it’s way past time,” said Devin Alexander, who grew up in Quincy.

Alexander says he was arrested for possession of marijuana in 2011 after getting pulled over while driving with friends.

“It was less than 3.5 grams and they arrested me for it, and it really messed up a lot of things — I had plans to go into the U.S. Air Force, but due to that arrest, that really derailed all those hopes and dreams,” Alexander recalled.

That charge became a barrier for many people, even after cannabis was legalized in Massachusetts in 2016.

“Folks are still having problems getting housing, employment, for simple possession of marijuana that may have been 15 or 20 years ago,” said Rep. Russell Holmes, who represents the 6th Suffolk District in Boston.

That’s why state lawmakers like Holmes have been advocating for those simple possession charges to be expunged from people’s records.

So he’s happy to hear Healey will be announcing a plan Wednesday to pardon those crimes.

“So this is a big deal because of the overcriminalization of marijuana for many, many years, particularly on black and brown communities,” said Holmes.

Now Holmes hopes there will be a way to automatically remove those pot charges.

“It would be great if there’s a process or some type of law that’s going to change it so they can simply be expunged or removed even if someone doesn’t petition to have it removed,” said Holmes.

Now that marijuana is legal, Alexander has turned it into a business.

He just celebrated one year as CEO of Rolling Releaf, a cannabis delivery service out of Newton, so he says it’s time to remove that minor pot charge from his record.

“It’s just crazy because they make people jump through so many hoops, you know, at the same time it should be automatic like they do in other states,” said Alexander.

Representative Holmes says he’ll be at the State House Wednesday morning for the big announcement.

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