On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced that he would pardon all federal offenses involving simple marijuana possession. This amounts to the first significant step toward decriminalizing marijuana across the country.
Senior administration officials claim that the decision will have an impact on thousands of Americans accused of the crime and that it carries out a campaign promise made by Vice President Biden to remove any prior federal possession convictions.
In a speech announcing the executive action, President Biden noted that marijuana is already legal in many states, and noted “criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.”
“No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said. “It’s legal in many states, and criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.
The president also spoke of the racial disparity when it comes to marijuana possession charges, added that “Black and brown people are arrested… and convicted at disproportionate rates.”
“And that’s before you address the racial disparities around who suffers the consequences. While white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people are arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.”
President Biden went on to encourage governors to follow the lead and similarly pardon state simple marijuana possession charges, which would increase the amount of Americans affected by such crimes.
The Department of Health and Human Services and Attorney General Merrick Garland will be tasked with “expeditiously” reviewing how the drug is scheduled under federal law in a larger effort towards easing federal classification standards.
