Voters in Missouri adopted a cannabis legalization initiative on Election Day and state officials expect to resolve more than 100,000 low-level possession cases within the next year, according to KHQA. The law mandates that any record of these charges be erased.
According to Kathryn Jamboretz, communication director for Legal MO ’22, funds from adult-use cannabis sales will be allocated toward expungements “straight off the top.”
Those in low-income communities and minorities, who are disproportionately affected by drug-related charges will also gain from the expungement process, according to Jamboretz.
The convictions are “truly life-changing,” according to Jamboretz. “These low-level marijuana possessions follow you your entire life. For every job application, you must disclose it. It can really hold down your economic prospects,” she said in the report. “And it’s really taken a toll on underserved communities. The number of wages that are being held down by these low-level convictions holding people back.”
Starting on December 8th, 2022, Jamboretz expects the expungement procedure for minor possessions to be complete within the first six months.
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