Biden Weed Pardon spurs response from the cannabis community and beyond

President Joseph Biden’s historic announcement that he would be pardoning all federal marijuana-possession convictions and directing government officials to investigate easing restrictions on the drug sent shockwaves across the country on Thursday, with activists, cannabis industry officials, pundits and policymakers alike all weighed the issue . Announcing the move Thursday, Biden finally took the first steps toward a promise while running for office to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.

“As I’ve said many times during my presidential campaign, no one should be in prison just for using or possessing marijuana. Sending people to jail for possession of marijuana has turned too many lives upside down and incarcerated people for behavior that many states no longer prohibit,” Biden said in a statement Thursday. “The criminal record for possession of marijuana has also created unnecessary barriers to employment, housing and educational opportunities. And while whites and blacks and browns use marijuana at similar rates, blacks and browns have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.”

According to a report in the New York Times, the presidential pardon will affect about 6,500 people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law and thousands more in the District of Columbia. Biden also called on governors to take similar action at the state level, where the vast majority of cannabis possession charges are filed and prosecuted.

The President also called on the Departments of Health and Justice to review the continued classification of marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act. According to the law, the classification in Appendix 1 is intended for drugs with no medical value and a high tendency to abuse.

Pardons draw quick reactions

Biden’s announcement sparked a flurry of excitement and activity in the cannabis community and beyond, sending marijuana-related stocks higher and forecasting how the move could impact next month’s midterm elections. Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, a Democrat and US Senate nominee, urged Biden to decriminalize cannabis when they met in Pittsburgh over Labor Day weekend. He reiterated his stance after news of Biden’s pardon broke Thursday.

“People’s lives should not be derailed for petty, non-violent marijuana-related crimes. That’s common sense. as Lt. Governor, I traveled across the Commonwealth to all 67 counties for an audio tour on marijuana legalization,” Fetterman said in a statement. “I’ve heard countless stories from Pennsylvanians about what this simple and just step of decriminalizing marijuana would mean for them. Too many lives – and especially the lives of Black and Brown Americans – have been derailed by this criminalization of this plant.”

Experts are considering pot pardons

Political analysis of the pardons announced by the White House on Thursday suggested the decision could have an impact on next month’s midterm elections, although opinions were divided on which side would benefit. Some suggested Biden’s announcement bolsters Republican claims that the Democrats are criminal, while others believe the move will embolden Democratic and progressive voters to get involved in November’s election.

Former Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke, who is running for Texas governor in a bid to blue the state’s executive office, issued a statement saying, “When I’m governor, we finally get marijuana in Texas legalize and erase the records of those arrested for possession of marijuana.”

His opponent, incumbent Governor Greg Abbott, also took up the announced presidential pardons as a political topic of conversation and dismissed Biden’s call for governors to take similar action at the state level.

“Texas is not used to seeking criminal justice advice from the leader of the Defund Police Party and someone who has overseen a criminal justice system that has run amok with cashless bail and a revolving door for violent criminals,” said Abbott campaign spokeswoman Renae Eze a statement quoted by CNN.

Pardons applause from the cannabis community

Mary Pryor, co-founder of Cannaclusive, a media services company established to facilitate fair representation of minority cannabis users through images and education, called Biden’s pardon “a major step forward” and called for more progress on comprehensive criminal justice reform to help those hurt by nearly a century of cannabis prohibition.

“Now is the time to really look at damage recovery and ensure that anyone who is pardoned has access to a career in cannabis or elsewhere,” Pryor, who is also a board member of the Social Equity Fund of the Parent company is said in a statement. “And while this milestone is a major victory indeed, we still need to educate society about the deeper damage of the war on drugs when it comes to resources and redress.”

Nancy Whiteman, CEO of cannabis edibles maker Wana Brands, welcomed the president’s pardon.

“It is incredible news to hear that President Biden is calling for pardons to be given to prisoners convicted and held on simple federal marijuana possession charges, a move that will affect more than 6,500 people,” Whiteman said in an email statement . “This is an important step towards full decriminalization and a meaningful way to address the racial disparities surrounding the arrests and convictions of BIPOC people.”

According to a report by Reuters, investors viewed Biden’s plan to pardon cannabis possession convictions and reschedule marijuana as an opportunity, sending shares of legal cannabis companies soaring on Thursday. Two of the largest publicly traded cannabis companies posted strong gains, with Tilray’s stock soaring 22% and Canopy Growth’s share price soaring 31%. The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, which owns shares in several cannabis companies, is up almost 20%.

Not enough or too much?

As might be expected, the positive response to Biden’s pardon and attempt to reschedule cannabis has not been universally positive. Many activists and cannabis industry insiders believe the President has not gone far enough, while some conservative voices opposed the reforms. Andy Singh, CEO and founder of vape maker Nuvata said, “President Biden’s statement on marijuana reform is a long overdue step in the right direction.”

“However, we were given the same assurances when he ran for president. Only actions are truly made credible at this point,” Singh wrote in an email to High Times. “It’s been two years since he’s president, this was one of the very first points he should have raised as people in prison are suffering needlessly on a daily basis just for possessing a herbal medicine.”

dr Carl Hart, a professor of psychology at Columbia University and author of the book Drug Use for Grown-Ups, said on social media that the president’s action didn’t go far enough and suspected political motives were at play.

“While I’m pleased that ~7,000 people are being cleared of MJ possession charges, I’m disappointed that @JoeBiden hasn’t taken steps to ensure no one is arrested for possession of ANY drugs. This seems like a weak step for voices to me. Legalize all drugs,” Hart tweeted Thursday.

Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican and a staunch conservative who is “tough on crime,” condemned the White House action.

“Amid a crime spree and on the brink of recession, Joe Biden is issuing blanket pardons to drug offenders – many of whom have filed more serious charges,” Cotton wrote on Twitter. “This is a desperate attempt to distract from failed leadership.”

At the grassroots level, many voters are likely to support Biden’s federal pardon of marijuana convictions. Last year, a Gallup poll found that a record 68% of Americans support legalizing recreational marijuana.