 The state of Nevada has taken a positive step in an effort to clear the names of those with past cannabis convictions.
Three non-profit groups in Nevada have just been awarded grants totaling $1.2 million dollars to review and seal the records of those with low-level cannabis convictions. Funding for the grants came from state tax revenue received from sales of cannabis. A 2019 state law enables people convicted of certain cannabis related crimes which have since been decriminalized or legalized to request their records be sealed, but that process can be difficult, to say the least, even for a legal expert. These new grants are awarded with the intention of finding a way to automatically review and seal records, without the petitioners having to navigate the process on their own. Venicia Considine, who is the director of development and community relations at Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, and a Democratic Assembly member, said, “There was a woman who couldn't go see her son graduate on an Air Force base because she had a felony record [for cannabis] …. There's a lot of people that live here in Las Vegas that couldn't get jobs, simply because they had something on their record from a decade, two decades ago, that was eligible for record sealing, but there was no real way to get it done.” NORML also pointed out that a disproportionate number of those with past cannabis convictions are young people and minorities. Leaving these people with negative criminal records for something that has since become legalized is holding them back from positive growth in society. Their records could cause them potential loss of employment, housing, voting rights, professional licensing, and student aid. Considine adds, “If you served your time and you're [eligible for record sealing], why are you still paying a penalty for it, especially when people can [use cannabis] now and no one's getting in trouble for it?” Comments are closed.
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