San Francisco and San Diego pardon thousands of cannabis convictions

Although California legalized cannabis on January 1, 2018, the issue of repairing the harm caused by cannabis prohibition is becoming increasingly important.

While Proposition 64 (the law regulating cannabis in California) provided for a procedure to request a review of the criminal record of persons convicted of cannabis-related offences, a bill has recently been filed to make the procedure automatic.

But even before it becomes law, San Francisco and San Diego have already moved in this direction.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón revealed last week that his team of prosecutors would «dismiss and seal 3,038 convictions for pre-cannabis legalization offenses, with no action required for those convicted.»

He also announced that they would look on a case-by-case basis at 5,000 convictions for cannabis-related crimes, and determine which can be reduced to misdemeanors.

Gascón also hopes that this is a first step towards ending discriminatory law enforcement practices in the city, acknowledging that cannabis-related arrests have affected people of color far more. From 2010-2011 data showed that Blacks accounted for half of all cannabis arrests, even though they made up only 6% of the total population.

Meanwhile, the San Diego District Attorney has identified 4,700 cases from 2002 to the present that would be eligible for review and possible amnesty. Individuals wishing to request a review of their case may do so by filling out the form C-400 and send it to the San Diego Court. Past convictions for possession, cultivation, possession with intent to sell, transportation, distribution or importation of cannabis and personal use are eligible for review. 680 felonies have already been downgraded to misdemeanors.