Biden to pardon all federal convictions of simple marijuana possession – By Steven Nelson (New York Post) / Oct 6, 2022
President Biden on Thursday issued one of the largest mass pardons in US history to roughly 6,500 people convicted in federal court of simple marijuana possession, as well as thousands more charged locally in DC.
Biden also ordered a federal review of pot’s Schedule I status that lumps it together with such drugs as heroin and LSD, which could begin the process toward federal legalization.
Biden told The Post in July that he was “working on” fulfilling his 2019 campaign pledge to free “everyone” in federal prison for marijuana offenses — and the president received pressure from Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democratic Senate candidate, to embrace marijuana reform ahead of the midterm elections due to broad public support.
Nineteen states, DC and two US territories have passed laws since 2012 allowing recreational marijuana use — in defiance of federal law, which still deems possession of the drug for any reason outside limited research a crime.
