Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden puts on sunglasses while speaking during Class Day Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 24, 2017, ahead of the University's 366th Commencement Exercises. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:57 pm
President Biden made history by announcing a pardon for every American federally convicted of simple marijuana possession.
President Biden issued the pardons through proclamation:
Acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to (1) all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who committed the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the United States Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1), on or before the date of this proclamation, regardless of whether they have been charged with or prosecuted for this offense on or before the date of this proclamation; and (2) all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the United States Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1); which pardon shall restore to them full political, civil, and other rights.
My intent by this proclamation is to pardon only the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of Federal law or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1), and not any other offenses related to marijuana or other controlled substances. No language herein shall be construed to pardon any person for any other offense, including possession of other controlled substances, whether committed prior, subsequent, or contemporaneous to the pardoned offense of simple possession of marijuana. This pardon does not apply to individuals who were non-citizens not lawfully present in the United States at the time of their offense.
Speaker Pelosi said, “Today is a day of hope and healing, as President Biden takes historic steps to reform America’s approach to marijuana. These transformative actions are the latest manifestation of Democrats’ unyielding commitment to justice, especially for those unfairly harmed by cannabis criminalization.”
Majority Leader Schumer, who has been advocating marijuana reform said, “For far too long, the federal prohibition on cannabis and the War on Drugs has been a war on people, and particularly people of color. President Biden’s action to pardon people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law is a huge step forward to correct decades of over-criminalization.”
Pennsylvania US Senate candidate John Fetterman took on the predictable Republican hysteria, “I don’t want to hear any bullshit from Dr. Oz or any Republican conflating decriminalizing marijuana with seriously harmful crime. As mayor of Braddock, I worked to combat serious crime. I know what it looks like. And I know that marijuana just doesn’t fit the bill. More than 350,000 Americans were arrested for marijuana related offenses in 2020. The resources to make those arrests should be going towards combating serious crime — and now they will. This decision will make Americans safer.”
People should not be in federal prison for simple marijuana possession. Law enforcement and criminal justice resources should be used to go after violent criminals, not someone who had some pot on them.
Biden is making America safe with common sense.
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