President Biden pardons federal marijuana prisoners and begins debt restructuring process

In an announcement that took the world by surprise, President Biden this afternoon declared that he would pardon all federal prisoners currently being held for simple marijuana possession offenses.

“There are thousands of people previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied work, housing or educational opportunities as a result,” Biden wrote. “My forgiveness will remove this burden.”

Biden also announced that he had directed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to begin the process of rescheduling marijuana under federal law.

“We classify marijuana on the same level as heroin — and more seriously than fentanyl,” Biden wrote. “That makes no sense.”

As I’ve said before, no one should be in prison just for using or possessing marijuana.

Today I am taking steps to end our failed approach. Let me interpret them.

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 6

Biden’s announcement is one of the most sweeping actions ever taken by a president on cannabis.

The move doesn’t immediately legalize marijuana, of course. Biden’s move only begins a process that could result in the reclassification or removal of cannabis from the federal drug plan.

Third, we classify marijuana on the same footing as heroin — and more seriously than fentanyl. That makes no sense. I urge @SecBecerra and the Attorney General to begin the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 6

Leafly will update this story throughout the day.

Bruce Barcott and Calvin Stovall

Leafly senior editor Bruce Barcott oversees news, investigations and feature projects. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and the author of Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America.

Calvin Stovall is Leafly’s East Coast Editor. He writes and produces media in Atlanta, GA and runs day-to-day operations for The Artistic Unified Exchange, a non-profit organization that protects intellectual property on behalf of independent artists and underserved communities.

Check out articles by Bruce Barcott and Calvin Stovall

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