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Jeffrey Mizanskey
was convicted in 1996 on the drug charge, and due to prior
drug-related convictions and persistent offender laws at the
time he has been in prison since, Nixon's office said in a
statement.
The commutation makes Mizanskey eligible for parole immediately,
but Nixon said Mizanskey would still have to "demonstrate that
he deserves" it.
St. Louis Public Radio reported that Mizanskey, who is in his
early 60s, was convicted for participating in a friend's sale of
marijuana to an undercover police officer.
Pot decriminilization movements have gained steam across the
country in recent years, with several states and the District of
Columbia voting to legalize recreational marijuana use or sale.
Colorado voters legalized recreational weed use in 2012.
Washington state also voted the same year to legalize
recreational cannabis use by adults, while Oregon, Alaska and
the District of Columbia followed suit last fall
The Obama administration has allowed states to experiment with
pot legalization even though the drug remains illegal under
federal law.
Also on Friday, Nixon's office said he had pardoned five people
convicted of non-violent offenses who had served their sentences
and remained out of trouble with the law.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Robert
Birsel)
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