California's Race to the Top on Cannabis

The city of San Francisco announced this week that it would wipe out or reduce the sentencings for all cannabis-related crime convictions, misdemeanors, and felonies, dating back to 1975. This means thousands of people who are serving time or who have served time will have their cases reviewed, and will have their paths cleared to either be released from jail or to pursue housing, jobs, and other life necessities that they’ve previously been barred from due to the drug convictions.

In essence, San Francisco is resetting the clock on the War on Drugs, at least for cannabis. The city is expanding upon Proposition 64, the state law that went into effect this year that makes amnesty for weed-related crimes a condition for legalizing cannabis in California.