With Michigan’s Clean Slate law set to go into effect April 11th, we’d like to take a moment to talk about how important this initiative is to our community.
The Clean Slate law will make it much easier for people to expunge charges from their criminal record. We’re proud to promote and support such a worthy cause that creates an easier and more viable process for redeeming people with cannabis convictions that are no longer illegal today.
The Clean Slate Initiative is designed to end the maze of obstacles that discourage people from expunging eligible crimes from their record. Currently, those seeking to expunge a crime from their record must go through a lengthy and complicated process that doesn’t even guarantee expungement. The process involves complex eligibility rules, fingerprinting and other costs, judicial appearances, as well as lengthy waiting times.
The Clean Slate Initiative works to automate this process so that expungement is automatic for anyone and everyone who qualifies. Under current laws, the Michigan Clean Slate law would help people with no more than one felony or two misdemeanors to clear their records after 7 years of no criminal violations.
Expungement is important because criminal records follow people throughout their lives, limiting employment opportunities, reducing financial aid for college or investment from banks, and even impacting ability to travel. Studies show that people who have not committed any crimes for several years are extremely unlikely to re-offend. But that hasn’t stopped state laws and employer policies from continuing to punish them for decades.
The Michigan Clean Slate initiative is also important because of how many cannabis-related crimes have been recorded in the state of Michigan, with enforcement disproportionately targeting black and brown communities. Expunging these charges for the record after the legalization of cannabis is simply the right thing to do.
Giving people a clean slate helps individuals, families, communities, and the economy. That’s why it’s more important than ever to right these wrongs by providing people with a clean slate and a fresh opportunity to move on from an undeserved criminal record.
To commemorate Michigan’s Clean Slate Law going into effect, we’re donating $1 from every Limited Edition Creamberry ⅛ jar and 5 count preroll pack to support local expungement efforts.
The donation will be made to our partners at National Expungement Week (N.E.W), and is just one part of our larger mission to support equality and justice in the cannabis industry. Learn more about our efforts to support equitable hiring and workforce development practices by creating jobs and offering professional mentorship to those who have been affected by marijuana mass incarceration.
What can you do to help the progress of the Michigan Clean Slate Initiative?
Everyone makes mistakes. Support the Clean Slate Initiative and do your part to give community members a second chance at life! Click here to learn more about the Clean Slate law and our own efforts.
