President Biden on Thursday pardoned thousands of individuals convicted for possessing marijuana at the federal level.
Biden’s order does not apply to state-level offenses but he urged governors to follow his example and forgive this crime in their respective states.
“Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely due to the possession of marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either,” Biden said in a statement.
The declaration means 6,500 individuals with prior convictions for simple marijuana possession will not have to serve their punishments and will have certain privileges and liberties restored. It also relieves convicts in Washington, D.C.
“There are thousands of people who were convicted for marijuana possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result,” Biden said. “My pardon will remove this burden on them.”
Biden also directed Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick Garland to consider whether marijuana’s federal designation as a “schedule one” substance deserves a downgrade. “Schedule one” drugs are those with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse
“The federal government currently classifies marijuana as a ‘schedule one’ substance, the same as heroin and LSD – and more serious than fentanyl,” he said. “It makes no sense.” Many Republicans and Democrats alike have argued that marijuana, while a drug, is more benign, as it’s technically not a narcotic, and can sometimes be involved in non-violent contexts.
Libertarian scholars have claimed that marijuana decriminalization will snuff out illegal trading. However, case studies such as that of Colorado, which was the first state to legalize marijuana, show that a large percentage of marijuana sales still go through the black market. In California, over 80 percent of marijuana traffic happens in the illegal marketplace to evade cannabis taxes.
In response to the news, marijuana stocks Tilray Brands and Canopy Growth soared, increasing roughly ten percent and give percent, respectively, in afternoon trading.
“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 added.