criminalreform Tag Posts Index

Dallas County DA to Stop Prosecuting First-Time Cannabis Misdemeanors

Dallas County, Texas District Attorney John Creuzot will no longer prosecute low-level cannabis crimes for first-time offenders, he announced in a policy letter

New Mexico Medical Cannabis Changes Spark Confusion for Inmates

Registered medical cannabis patients on parole or probation in New Mexico will not face penalties for using their recommended products, according to guidance from

Burnt Cannabis Odor Not Grounds For Search, Vermont Supreme Court Rules

Vermont's Supreme Court ruled last week that the smell of burned or burning cannabis is not legal grounds for police to initiate a search, according to a Leafly

New York Gov. Commits to Cannabis Legalization

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters in a widely anticipated speech on Monday that he would push to legalize adult-use cannabis within a matter of months, The

Illinois Expungement Bill Receives New Support

An Illinois state Senate bill that would expunge low-level cannabis crimes has received new support, according to a WQAD 8 report. Illinois Senate Assistant Majority

Pennsylvania Decriminalization Bill Passes Committee

A bill to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis has passed the Pennsylvania state House Judiciary Committee, CBS reports. The bill changes the penalties for those

Seattle is Removing Prior Cannabis Misdemeanors

The judges overseeing the Seattle Municipal Court have signed an order setting out a process to vacate and remove cannabis misdemeanors from 1996 to the end of cannabis

Manhattan DA Dismisses 3,000 Cannabis Cases

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. dismissed more than 3,000 cases of cannabis possession and consumption in New York on Wednesday, CNN reports. The 3,042

Delaware Cannabis Expungement Bill Becomes Law

Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) signed a bill last week that will expunge or clear the records of citizens convicted of simple cannabis possession prior to 2015, which

Cannabis Legalization and Expungement Legislation Planned in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania state Rep. Jake Wheatley plans to introduce a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis and expunge the records of people convicted of minor cannabis crimes,

Texas GOP Endorses Cannabis Decriminalization, Rescheduling, & Industrial Hemp

The Republican Party of Texas officially endorsed the decriminalization of cannabis last month in a surprising turn of events. Party leaders also called on the federal

NYPD to Issue Tickets, Not Arrests, for Public Cannabis Smokers

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York Police Department announced on Tuesday that the city will begin ticketing, not arresting, people who are caught

New York City Mayor Directs Police to Stop Cannabis-Smoking Arrests

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has told the city’s top police officials to stop arresting people for smoking cannabis and, instead, issue citations, CNN reports.

New York City Mayor and Prosecutors Planning Cannabis Enforcement Reforms

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has given the Police Department 30 days to come up with a plan to end “unnecessary arrests” for cannabis, and city officials –

‘Expungement Days’ for Misdemeanor Cannabis Convictions Planned in Two Vermont Counties

State’s attorneys in Vermont’s Chittenden and Windsor counties are moving forward with plans to expunge misdemeanor cannabis convictions with “Expungement Days”

New Jersey Gov. Open to ‘Sweeping Pardons’ for Cannabis Crimes

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is open to reducing or eliminating sentences for low-level cannabis crimes, telling NorthJersey.com that his main motivation behind

Chittenden County, Vermont State Attorney Considering Expunging Low-Level Cannabis Crimes

Chittenden County, Vermont Attorney Sarah George is pursuing a plan to erase convictions for low-level cannabis crimes, according to a NECN report. George, the head

Seattle Officials Move to Toss Misdemeanor Cannabis Convictions

Officials in Seattle, Washington have filed a motion in Seattle Municipal Court to vacate all convictions for misdemeanor cannabis possession for anyone arrested

U.K. Royal College of Physicians Calls for Legalization of Cannabis, Cocaine, Heroin

The Royal College of Physicians, a professional organization in the United Kingdom which represents 26,000 medical professionals, have called for the legalization

Bill to Expunge Low-Level Cannabis Convictions in Illinois Approved by House Committee

An Illinois House committee has advanced a measure that would allow individuals with a low-level cannabis or paraphernalia possession conviction to have the charge