Biden pardons thousands convicted of marijuana possession

published 6 October 2022

President Biden is pardoning all people convicted of simple marijuana possession as the first step toward larger marijuana reform, he announced Thursday.

The move applies to thousands of people across the states and in Washington, D.C., The Associated Press reports. During his campaign, Biden pledged to decriminalize the drug, reports CNN.

On Thursday, the president urged state governors to follow his lead, as state convictions for marijuana possession vastly outnumber federal convictions, The New York Times reports. Biden also noted that people of color, namely Black and brown people, are incarcerated for marijuana possession at higher rates than their white counterparts, a statistic advocacy groups have encouraged the president to tackle, the Times continues.

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Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.

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