Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried (D), slammed Gov. Ron DeSantis on the cancellation of the State Clemency Board meeting due to take place this month.

Fried, who has been campaigning for cannabis reform for years, wanted to use the meeting to pardon those convicted of simple cannabis possession offenses and put it on the Clemency Board’s agenda. The panel that reviews prisoner parole applications consists of the Florida Cabinet – Fried, DeSantis, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Attorney General Ashley Moody.

“You have again voted to cancel our Paroles Committee meeting, as well as another cabinet meeting. Given that we only had one Clemency Board meeting this year, this is a dereliction of duty,” Fried wrote in a letter to DeSantis. “We might have taken the first critical step in righting past wrongs and bringing state policies in line with the prevailing opinion of most Floridians and most Americans.” Instead, you have chosen to delay justice for tens of thousands of your fellow Florida compatriots.”

Fried’s plan comes about two months after President Joe Biden announced he will do it to condone all previous federal offenses of simple cannabis possession. The action is estimated to benefit about 6,500 Americans, while about 40,000 people convicted at the state level will remain unaffected unless state governors go along with Biden’s proposal and do the same. If the Florida governor doesn’t go along with Biden’s suggestion, which he most likely won’t, federal cannabis pardons will not affect the vast majority of Floridans serving time on cannabis convictions.

“The criminalization of mere possession of marijuana has resulted in unnecessary, long-lasting consequences for too many Floridians, limiting their access to employment, housing and educational opportunities,” Fried also wrote, “putting this issue on the state’s agenda on Dec. 14.” Board has set pardon and pardon…