LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After President Joe Biden's announced this week he'd pardoning thousands of Americans convicted federal possession of marijuana, there are calls for Gov. Andy Beshear to pardon Kentuckians convicted of marijuana offenses.
In a news release, State Rep. Nima Kulkarni (D), of Louisville, joined with the ACLU of Kentucky, the Kentucky State Conference of the NAACP, Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Kentucky NORML and the Kentucky Cannabis Freedom Coalition in calling for cannabis pardons.
"President Biden’s decision yesterday to pardon anyone federally convicted of cannabis possession is a massive and much-needed step forward for thousands of Americans," the joint statement said. "As advocates who have long championed such a move, we urge Governor Andy Beshear to take similar action here in Kentucky."
In announcing the executive order, Biden called on governors to issue similar pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases.
Biden, in a statement, said the move reflects his position that "no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana."
In asking for the state pardons, Kulkarni and the organizations said the move "immediately help more than 7,000 of our citizens, many of whom are people of color."
"Despite clear evidence showing cannabis usage among races is largely the same, minorities are still four times more likely to be arrested nationally, and 10 times more likely in Kentucky, which is a travesty," the joint statement said. "Such a broad state pardon – which the Kentucky Supreme Court has upheld as legal in principle – would better balance the scales of justice while effectively stopping future prosecutions."
The statement echoed Biden's acknowledgement of the impact of crime legislation he supported in the 1990s that increased arrest and incarceration rates for drug crimes, particularly for Black and Latino people.
The federal pardon does not cover convictions for possession of other drugs, or for charges relating to producing or possessing marijuana with an intent to distribute. Biden is also not pardoning non-citizens who were in the U.S. without legal status at the time of their arrest.
Kulkarni and the organizations also said that any possible pardon on the state level would not end their work. "We also need to raise money to cover expungement costs so that everyone who benefits truly has the clean record they deserve, and we need the General Assembly to act on cannabis decriminalization, as well as legalization, so that the will of a majority of Kentuckians finally becomes law."
Scottie Ellis, a spokesperson for the governor, released the following statement:
"The Governor agrees that no one should be in jail simply because of possession of marijuana. The White House had not alerted and has not briefed our office on exactly what his pardons may require and the specific details of what they will and will not cover. The Governor looks forward to reviewing those details when available in his larger analysis on medical cannabis and how to move forward when the vast majority of Kentuckians demand it."
There is a divide on the pot pardons. Some law enforcement agencies say it could embolden criminals.
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved.
