US: Joe Biden pardons federal marijuana possession offenses

Last week, US President Joe Biden announced that he would issue pardons to those convicted of federal offenses for possession of marijuana. Biden’s announcement would fulfill another pledge he made during his campaign.

Biden announced Thursday last week that he would be pardoning people who have prior federal convictions of marijuana possession. Biden also urged state governors to take the same action and directed the Health and Human Services department and Attorney General Merrick Garland to conduct a review of how marijuana is classed under federal law.

This marks the first major steps by Biden to ease the classification of marijuana, which is currently under the same designation as LSD and heroin.

The US leader said thousands of people who have prior federal convictions could be denied opportunities in life such as employment, housing, and education, and his measure would relieve such consequences. Biden also cited that people of color are disproportionately affected by the consequences.

“No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” said Biden in the video of his announcement.

“It’s legal in many states, and criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And that’s before you address the racial disparities around who suffers the consequences. While white, Black, and Brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people are arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.”

Biden’s announcement fulfills another campaign pledge and comes weeks before the upcoming midterm elections in November that would determine whether the Democratic Party maintains control of Congress or if Republicans retake the majority in one or both chambers.

A senior Biden administration official said more than 6,500 people with prior federal convictions could be affected by the pardons.

On the same day, the White House said there was no new intelligence information behind the US leader’s comments on Russia’s nuclear threats. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said there has been no indication that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons on Ukraine, and the US does not see a reason to change its current nuclear posture.

Jean-Pierre said Biden was reiterating what Washington is saying on how Moscow’s nuclear threats must be taken seriously.