Service Members Convicted of Marijuana Crimes by Military Again Excluded from Biden Pardons – By Thomas Novelly (Military.com) / Jan 2, 2024
President Joe Biden issued a new proclamation late last month pardoning Americans federally charged with simple possession, attempted possession and use of marijuana — but none of it applies to service members.
A White House official confirmed to Military.com on Tuesday that Biden’s Dec. 22, 2023, proclamation did not apply to offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the federal body of laws enacted by Congress that applies to active-duty military service members and some retirees accepting a pension.
Biden’s latest proclamation follows his earlier pardon in October 2022 of Americans federally charged with simple possession of marijuana, which covered nearly 6,500 people. No one was freed from federal prison due to the 2022 or 2023 measures, and the vast majority of charges and punishments related to marijuana are enforced at the state level.
