What Does President Biden’s Marijuana Possession Proclamation Mean?

by Roger Tower on October 7, 2022

Individuals Convicted on ‘Simple’ Marijuana Possession Pardoned by President Biden’s Proclamation: What Does it Mean for Cannabis Use? Read full proclamation

In an effort to decriminalize marijuana and address possession charge procedures that have been proven to disproportionately affect people of color, US President Joe Biden has announced the pardoning of thousands of Americans found guilty of marijuana possession under federal law.

The action is anticipated to aid persons whose criminal histories prevent them from obtaining work, housing, or educational prospects due to prior marijuana possession convictions.

President Biden’s executive action to pardon those with federal convictions for ‘simple’ marijuana possession represents a much-needed change in the country’s response and policing when it comes to marijuana for over half a century.

A Step in the Right Direction, But Will It Help?

No one is currently incarcerated in a federal facility for marijuana possession, but convictions are the norm at the State level.

Federal pardons will most certainly make it simpler for people to find jobs, housing, and educational opportunities. According to officials, about 6,500 people with federal convictions for basic marijuana possession are expected to benefit.

In addition to pardoning those found guilty of simple possession of marijuana under federal law, the president tasked state governors with enacting similar laws. He also directed the Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services to “expeditiously” review the federal law’s scheduling of marijuana.

The recent action taken has been part of a lengthy evolution in criminal justice for Mr. Biden, who, over the course of his 36 years in the Senate, worked to enact several laws that paved the way for mass imprisonment. He pushed for more tolerance toward nonviolent drug offenders and issued an apology on the campaign trail for some of the more draconian legislation he had supported, the 1994 crime bill.

The pardons bring the federal government closer to the policies of several state governments, which have already scaled back or done away with the criminal penalties for merely having marijuana, which for decades have resulted in incarceration.

Biden issued a long overdue statement stating that locking individuals up for having marijuana had ruined too many lives. Moreover, he also claimed that black and brown citizens were disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, and convicted due to marijuana possession.

Good News for the Cannabis Industry as a Whole

While many believe that the recent declaration marks the beginning of the decriminalization of marijuana, others have called it “window dressing,” stating the obvious that there are no known federal prisoners who will be affected by this recent measure. That being said, shares of companies in the cannabis industry spiked by 20% after the news broke, which is good news.

It should be noted that during his final day, former President Donald Trump pardoned a dozen offenders who were jailed for life under the three-strikes rule. In short, while this is a great first step (in the right direction), much more needs to be done.

Every new prcolomation and change of Federal policy leads one step closer on the long road to legalization. We’re hopeful this will help separated families to rebuild from the devastating war on drugs to make a difference for our children to live in a world of less incarceration.