Needed: Florida cases of collateral damage from marijuana arrests

Are you haunted by a marijuana conviction for which you have finished serving any criminal penalties? Have you or someone you know been denied housing, a job, professional licensing, or other opportunities due to an old marijuana arrest or conviction? If so, please contact us at lharris@mpp.org.

An arrest for marijuana possession can haunt a person long after he or she has "paid his or her debt to society" and complied with all criminal penalties. This is particularly true in Florida where such "collateral consequences" are among the most severe in the country. For example, residents in the Sunshine State convicted of marijuana charges may lose their eligibility to:

Live in public housing,

Adopt a child or be a foster parent,

Vote,

Sit on juries,

Possess a firearm, or

Receive student financial aid

Those holding professional licenses, permits, or certifications can lose their very right to earn a living. Nursing, accounting, real estate, contracting and other licensing boards, for example, may revoke or suspend professional certifications and licenses based on drug convictions. Many government and private employers have blanket policies against hiring people with such convictions. In some cases one can also lose one’s driver’s license or have one’s driving privileges suspended.

MPP is looking for Florida residents who have suffered "collateral damage" from a conviction for possession of marijuana in any of the above ways and who will speak publicly about their experience.

If you have, or know of anyone who has, been denied a right or opportunity because of an arrest or conviction of marijuana charges — especially marijuana possession charges — we desperately need to hear from you. These stories are an important part of project designed to illustrate the wide-ranging impact of convictions for simple possession of marijuana.

If you have such a story, or know of somebody who has suffered harm because of a marijuana conviction, please e-mail lharris@mpp.org. (Include your full name and the best way to reach you so we can contact you for more information.)