Colorado Governor to Pardon More Than 2,700 Cannabis Convictions

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has announced plans to pardon 2,732 low-level cannabis possession convictions through an executive order on Oct. 1, according to The Denver Post.

The move comes after the passage of House Bill 1424, which allows the governor to pardon convictions involving the possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis, which is the current legal limit for those registered in Colorado’s medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported.

The pardon will also apply to convictions in state courts through 2012 that involve up to 1 ounce, which aligns with the adult-use cannabis law that voters approved in 2012, according to The Denver Post.

The governor’s office worked with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to identify eligible convictions, the news outlet reported, and those eligible will not have to apply to have the convictions pardoned.

Although the pardon will not expunge or seal the records associated with the convictions, the convictions will be removed from individuals’ public records and will not show up in background checks conducted by the public, according to The Denver Post. The convictions will still appear in background checks conducted by law enforcement, but will have a note regarding the pardon, the news outlet reported.