Industry groups and lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle applauded President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon all people who have been convicted of federal offenses for nonviolent possession of marijuana.
“As I often said during my campaign for President, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana. Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,” Biden said. Thousands of people have been federally convicted for marijuana possession, which may result in being denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities, Biden added.
Biden is also urging all state governors to do the same for similar state offenses. In addition, he is asking the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law. Currently, federal law classifies marijuana in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, which is meant for the most dangerous substances and includes heroin and LSD. In this classification, marijuana ranks even higher than fentanyl and methamphetamine, which he said are driving the country’s overdose epidemic.
“We commend this important and necessary step to begin the process of repairing the harms of prohibition and look forward to working with Congress and the administration to develop policies that would ultimately solve the underlying problems in our outdated cannabis policies,” said Aaron Smith, co-founder and CEO of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “It’s imperative that we finally harmonize state and federal laws so that Main Street cannabis businesses can supplant underground markets and nobody is ever again put behind bars for a nonviolent marijuana crime. Removing cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act is the only way to achieve those goals.”
U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), a sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow cannabis businesses in states where cannabis is legal to access the banking system, also voiced his support.
“Additionally, I appreciate the president ordering a review of how marijuana is scheduled, but even if marijuana is moved to a lower schedule on the Controlled Substance Act, we will continue to face banking conflicts between federal and state law,” Perlmutter said. “The House has already passed a variety of bipartisan cannabis reform bills – including the SAFE Banking Act seven times. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow the House’s lead and pass bipartisan cannabis reform legislation.”
U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, also commended the move by Biden.
“Last year, my late colleague and Republican Cannabis Caucus Co-Chair, Don Young, and I called on the President multiple times to reschedule cannabis under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. I applaud the President for listening and rejecting the all-or-nothing approach demanded by so many in his own party,” Joyce said. “I also commend the President’s recognition of the need for state and local level expungement efforts. The bulk of petty, nonviolent cannabis convictions take place at the state and local level, so to truly remedy the unjust war on cannabis, we must start there and vacate antiquated offenses that are no longer even considered a crime. More than 14 million cannabis-related records at the state and local level continue to preclude Americans from stable housing and gainful employment – two cornerstones of safe and prosperous communities.”