The Superior Court of Alameda County on Friday ordered reducing almost 7,000 marijuana-related felony cases to misdemeanors and another 1,200-plus misdemeanor cases to infractions, the result pursuant to Proposition 64, court officials said.

Superior Court Judge Charles Smiley, the court’s assistant presiding judge, also ordered dismissed all cases that had not already been dismissed, and ordered that all cases reduced to infractions be sealed.

Prop 64, approved by California voters in November 2016, legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana by adults. The new law also decreased penalties for possession with intent to sell, sales, transportation and cultivation of marijuana. Prop 64 was retroactive, therefore allowing for reductions and dismissals for previously imposed marijuana-related punishments and convictions.

Under Prop 64, district attorney’s offices across California were given until July 1, 2020 to implement the new law.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office identified 6,921 felony cases eligible to be reduced to misdemeanors and another 1,235 misdemeanor cases eligible to be reduced to infractions.

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