Biden pardoning federal simple marijuana possession offenses – WSB-TV Channel 2
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President Joe Biden on Thursday introduced that he’s pardoning prior federal offenses for easy marijuana possession.
“As I’ve mentioned earlier than, nobody ought to be in jail only for utilizing or possessing marijuana,” the president mentioned in a collection of social media posts. “At present, I’m taking steps to finish our failed strategy.”
In a press release, the president mentioned he has directed Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland to develop the method to concern the pardons.
“Sending individuals to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated individuals for conduct that many states not prohibit,” he mentioned. “Legal data for marijuana possession have additionally imposed pointless boundaries to employment, housing, and academic alternatives. And whereas white and Black and brown individuals use marijuana at comparable charges, Black and brown individuals have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate charges.”
First: I’m pardoning all prior federal offenses of straightforward marijuana possession. There are literally thousands of individuals who have been beforehand convicted of straightforward possession who could also be denied employment, housing, or academic alternatives consequently. My pardon will take away this burden.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 6, 2022
It was not instantly clear how many individuals would obtain pardons from the president, although Biden famous that it could probably have an effect on hundreds.
He referred to as on governors to observe swimsuit and pardon easy state marijuana possession convictions.
“Simply as nobody ought to be in a Federal jail solely as a result of possession of marijuana, nobody ought to be in an area jail or state jail for that cause, both,” he mentioned.
Additional, the president mentioned that he’s asking officers to overview how marijuana is scheduled beneath federal legislation. At the moment, the substance is assessed beneath Schedule I of the Managed Substances Act, the classification for essentially the most harmful medicine. Different Schedule I substances embody heroin and LSD.
Third: We classify marijuana on the identical degree as heroin – and extra severe than fentanyl. It is not sensible. I’m asking @SecBecerra and the Lawyer Normal to provoke the method of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled beneath federal legislation.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 6, 2022
Sending individuals to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that’s authorized in lots of states. That’s earlier than you deal with the clear racial disparities round prosecution and conviction. At present, we start to proper these wrongs.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 6, 2022
“Too many lives have been upended due to our failed strategy to marijuana,” he mentioned. “It’s time that we proper these wrongs.”
Test again for extra on this creating story.
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