Marijuana Offenders Could Have Records Sealed After D.C. Council Vote

Residents of the nation’s capital could
have their nonviolent marijuana offenses sealed under a proposal
currently being considered by the D.C. Council.

The proposal, which passed 12–0 in the first of two votes—the
second one is scheduled for later this month—would allow residents
to have their records sealed by filling a motion with the D.C.
Superior Court. The Court would be obliged to seal the records,
unless prosecutors could show that the crime still remains an
offense.

The proposal is designed to complement recent
changes to the legal status of marijuana in the District,
after the punishment for possession of small amounts was downgraded
to a $25 on-the-spot fine­—equivalent to a parking ticket—earlier
this year.

From
The Washington Post:

Council member David Grosso (I-At Large), who introduced the
record-sealing bill, said his legislation is a companion to the
other measures. He said it is a matter of fairness to give prior
offenders some ability to scrub their records now that city leaders
have pursued a liberalized marijuana policy.

If enacted into law, this measure could greatly improve the
lives of people who have been convicted of non-violent marijuana
related offenses. As David Grosso points out:

“People who have had these issues in the past, it never leaves
them… They have to check the box [indicating a prior conviction].
They can’t get a job. They can’t get public housing. They can’t get
financial aid” for college.

Opponents of the war on drugs have gained considerable momentum
since the passage of ballot measures
legalizing marijuana in Colorado and Washington. With
similar ballot measures set to be voted on this
November in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C., 2014 could
turn out to be another record year in the fight against drug
prohibition.