US President Joe Biden pardoned “all prior federal and D.C. offenses of simple marijuana possession” on October 6.
“Sending people to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that is legal in many states. That’s before you address the clear racial disparities around prosecution and conviction. Today, we begin to right these wrongs,” Biden said.
Biden said he has also asked state governors to consider state-level pardons for marijuana possession convictions, and has instructed US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick Garland to “review” how marijuana is scheduled, as it is currently in the same class as heroin and at a more serious level than fentanyl.
Credit: White House via Storyful
