The day before recreational cannabis became legal in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker pardoned 11,017 people who had been convicted of low-level marijuana crimes, the Chicago Tribune reports. Pritzker, who has touted the social equity elements of the recreational pot law he signed, was joined Tuesday by state, county and local leaders, including Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who has begun clearing the records of those with low-level marijuana convictions. The people pardoned by Pritzker will receive notification about their cases, all of which are from outside Cook County. The pardon means convictions involving less than 30 grams of marijuana will be automatically expunged.
Pritzker and other officials believe Illinois is the first state to include a process for those previously convicted of marijuana offenses to seek relief on legalization of cannabis. “This is justice,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. “And this is what equity is all about, righting wrongs and leveling the playing field.” Officials estimate there are hundreds of thousands of people with marijuana-related convictions in Illinois who could be eligible for relief. Those with criminal convictions can get a copy of their criminal record and start the process, though many cases will be automatically expunged by the state. The Illinois State Police are searching criminal records to identify eligible cases, which are then sent to the state’s Prisoner Review Board. After the board reviews the cases, the names of those eligible for relief are sent to the governor’s office to be considered for pardon. “When Illinois’ first adult use cannabis shops open their doors … we must all remember that the purpose of this legislation is not to immediately make cannabis widely available or to maximize product on the shelves … But instead the defining purpose of legalization is to maximize equity for generations to come,” Pritzker said.