Making good on a campaign promise, President Joe Biden has announced that he will be pardoning all federal charges for simple marijuana possession, and he’s urging governors across the country to do the same. Biden announced the sweeping move on Twitter where he also announced his intentions to no longer consider weed the same schedule of drug as heroin.
“As I’ve said before, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said on Thursday. “Today, I’m taking steps to end our failed approach.”
The president, who has been on a hot streak following a recent trip to Florida, laid out his plan for rectifying America’s erroneous treatment of marijuana offenders:
First: I’m pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden.
Second: I’m calling on governors to pardon simple state marijuana possession offenses. Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely for possessing marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.
Third: We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl. It makes no sense. I’m asking @SecBecerra and the Attorney General to initiate the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.
Biden ended his remarks by noting the racial disparity in how marijuana crimes were prosecuted, which will end on his watch. “Sending people to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that is legal in many states,” Biden said. “That’s before you address the clear racial disparities around prosecution and conviction. Today, we begin to right these wrongs.”
Following the announcement, Twitter exploded with reactions to the sweeping pardon, which not for nothing, backed up the president’s claim that “Nobody f*cks with a Biden.”
You can see reactions to Biden’s pardon for marijuana possession below:
Big move here on marijuana: Biden takes steps to decriminalize pot at federal level, indicating he will pardon all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/BenLaBolt/status/1578100192695713792
https://twitter.com/AmandaMarcotte/status/1578104371430072320
Dark Brandon is pardoning everyone who was federally convicted for simple possession of marijuana, while the GOP wants to charge survivors of rape with murder for accessing adequate healthcare. Please tell me again who’s extreme.
— 𝐁𝐞𝐤𝐬 (@antifaoperative) October 6, 2022
Now that Biden has pardoned all marijuana convictions on a federal level, the onus is on Republican state governors and legislatures where it is still illegal.
If you want marijuana forgiveness, the Republican Party is your enemy.
— Stacy (@stacycayslays) October 6, 2022
President Joe Biden just pardoned literally *EVERYONE* convicted of a federal marijuana possession crime and urged governors to do the same with state offenses.
This is a BFD. pic.twitter.com/mMCm3yE1S5
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) October 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/RobertGarcia/status/1578103277438525442
Countless peoples' lives have been upended by regressive marijuana policy. By pardoning those convicted of federal simple possession charges and moving to reclassify marijuana, President Biden is taking a smart approach to modernizing our marijuana policy. https://t.co/HIC8nIIvYf
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) October 6, 2022
It makes no sense for someone to sit in prison for using or possessing marijuana when it has been legalized by many states.
The pardon power can be a powerful tool to reform the criminal justice system. This is a very powerful example of that. https://t.co/LmLU4UNKkS
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) October 6, 2022
Biden just changed thousands of lives through the pardon of ALL people convicted of Federal Marijuana charges.
Absolutely amazing job by our President.
— Jayden D’Onofrio (@jaydendonofrio) October 6, 2022
This is why I've preached patience. Joe Biden went from "what has he done for young people" to delivering a transformational climate change law, student loan forgiveness, and now marijuana pardons/reforms, all in the course of the last 3 months.
Presidential terms are 4 years.
— That Well-Adjusted Biden Guy (@What46HasDone) October 6, 2022
Of course, this monumental decision now begs a very important question:
are we going to get federally legalized marijuana in time for avatar 2
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 6, 2022