Advertisement

How Seattle Is Handling Misdemeanor Marijuana Drug Convictions

10:48
Download Audio
Resume
In this photo taken Tuesday, July 1, 2014, packets of a variety of recreational marijuana named "Space Needle" are shown during packaging operations at Sea of Green Farms in Seattle. The grower, the first business licensed to grow recreational marijuana in Washington state, worked all weekend to have supplies ready for stores that were expected to be granted sale licenses on Monday, July 7, the day before legal recreational pot sales begin on July 8. (Ted S. Warren/Associated Press)
In this photo taken Tuesday, July 1, 2014, packets of a variety of recreational marijuana named "Space Needle" are shown during packaging operations at Sea of Green Farms in Seattle. The grower, the first business licensed to grow recreational marijuana in Washington state, worked all weekend to have supplies ready for stores that were expected to be granted sale licenses on Monday, July 7, the day before legal recreational pot sales begin on July 8. (Ted S. Warren/Associated Press)

Last month, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law the most expansive criminal justice reform bill in years.

Among its many changes, it reforms the state's bail system and allows people to request that certain prior offenses that are no longer crimes be expunged from their record, such as convictions for the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

But over in Seattle, their mayor wants to go even further. That city recently filed a motion that would automatically vacate all of the city's prior convictions for marijuana possession, going back to 1997. If approved, it would impact some 542 people in Seattle, in a state which legalized the recreational use of pot back in 2012.

Guest

Jenny Durkan, mayor of Seattle. She tweets @MayorJenny.

This segment aired on May 7, 2018.

Headshot of Jamie Bologna

Jamie Bologna Senior Producer/Director, Radio Boston
Jamie Bologna was senior producer and director of Radio Boston.

More…

Headshot of Meghna Chakrabarti

Meghna Chakrabarti Host, On Point
Meghna Chakrabarti is the host of On Point.

More…

Advertisement

More from Radio Boston

Listen Live
Close