# As pot becomes decriminalized will previously convicted low level pot dealers stay in prison?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-pot-becomes-decriminalized-will-previously-convicted-low-level-pot-dealers-stay-in-prison/723661>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 27, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-pot-becomes-decriminalized-will-previously-convicted-low-level-pot-dealers-stay-in-prison/723661 "2015-06-27T22:28:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-pot-becomes-decriminalized-will-previously-convicted-low-level-pot-dealers-stay-in-prison/723661/1 "2015-06-27T22:28:58Z")

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Just curious. If what they did to get convicted is not a felony anymore once a state passes a decriminalization law will they stay in prison for the full sentence they got when it was illegal or is there some appeal they can make?

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**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-pot-becomes-decriminalized-will-previously-convicted-low-level-pot-dealers-stay-in-prison/723661/2 "2015-06-27T23:05:46Z")

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The fact that people keep asking this over and over and over is proof that pot really does kill your brain cells.

(And I say that as someone who likes pot and very much wants it to be legal.)

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-pot-becomes-decriminalized-will-previously-convicted-low-level-pot-dealers-stay-in-prison/723661/3 "2015-06-27T23:08:49Z")

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Unless the law legalizing it includes a blanket pardon then everybody will serve their sentences net of parole.