Erasing The Stain: 15,000 Pardoned Of Marijuana Possession Convictions
Mayor Randall Woodfin on Tuesday announced the pardons of more than 15,000 Birmingham residents convicted of marijuana possession, declaring that “one small mistake should not define an entire lifetime.”
The pardons — which were announced April 20, an unofficial holiday celebrating cannabis — cover residents with closed marijuana possession cases in the Birmingham Municipal Court between 1990 and 2020.
The pardons are part of Woodfin’s Pardons for Progress program, launched in November 2019, which was meant to remove employment barriers for people who had been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession. Those convictions can appear on background checks and, as Woodfin noted in a press release, disproportionately affect people from Black and brown communities.
Initially, Pardons for Progress required a multi-step application, though some criticized the process as too complex; as of April 13, only nine people had received pardons through the program. Tuesday’s pardon significantly broadens the program’s reach.
One-time marijuana possession charges not covered by Tuesday’s pardon — such as still-open court cases — still will be eligible for the program going forward.
Woodfin’s announcement was accompanied by a petition calling on the Alabama Legislature to pass a measure decriminalizing both medical and recreational marijuana use statewide.
“Since the state government does not permit ‘home-rule’ in Birmingham, I need you to join me in telling the State of Alabama to completely decriminalize marijuana and consider legalizing medical and recreational use like so many other states have,” Woodfin wrote in a statement. “Until then, we will do what we can as a city to pardon marijuana possession convictions processed throughout our municipal court system.”
The petition can be found on Woodfin’s campaign website.
This virus seems like it’s no longer a problem. It’s still a threat
A year ago, on August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Why are health experts so frustrated by the world's response?
D.C. clergy slam federal takeover: ‘Fear is not a strategy for safety’
A group of religious leaders in Washington, D.C. is criticizing President Donald Trump's federal takeover of the District's police force, saying his rhetoric is dehumanizing and counterproductive.
“This Weekend Today,” WBHM’s new calendar of events in partnership with Bhmstr
WBHM is partnering with Bhmstr, providing a featured list of happenings each week in the Magic City.
Trump and Putin have history. That adds to the intrigue for Anchorage summit
President Trump says he'll know "probably in the first two minutes" whether Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine, touting his past relationship with the Russian leader.
Supreme Court allows Mississippi social media law to go into effect
The law requires all users to verify their ages before using common social media sites ranging from Facebook to Nextdoor.
Anti-Trump podcast MeidasTouch is rivaling Joe Rogan. Does it have staying power?
The left-leaning media outfit has surged in Donald Trump's second term, appealing to progressives outraged by the president. Still, the online streaming world remains dominated by right-wing voices.
