Joe Biden.Photo: Susan Walsh/AP/ShutterstockPresidentJoe Bidenon Friday announced the pardons of 11 nonviolent convicted drug offenders, alsoissuing a proclamationthat would pardon those convicted of certain marijuana offenses.“As I have said before, criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” Biden, 81, said in the proclamation issued Friday.Biden added that, through the proclamation, “individuals who may continue to experience the unnecessary collateral consequences of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana,” will be pardoned.The proclamation builds on last year’s historicpardon for federal offenders of simple marijuana possessionand will mean that thousands of those who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia will now be eligible for pardons.Currently, 25 states in the U.S. have fully legalized the use of marijuana, while 14 have legalized the its medical usage.The 11 other people formally granted clemency on Friday had convictions ranging from conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The White House described the sentences for those nonviolent drug offenses as “disproportionately long.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.The ability to set aside federal criminal convictions — even to try and prevent future prosecutions for a federal crime for which someone has not yet been charged — is one of the signature authorities of a president and it has few restrictions. (It does not, however, affect state crimes.)During his 2019 presidential campaign, Biden had expressed that “nobody should be in jail for smoking marijuana,” and the White House has said the executive clemencies are meant to rectify racial disparities in the justice system.
Joe Biden.Photo: Susan Walsh/AP/Shutterstock
PresidentJoe Bidenon Friday announced the pardons of 11 nonviolent convicted drug offenders, alsoissuing a proclamationthat would pardon those convicted of certain marijuana offenses.“As I have said before, criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” Biden, 81, said in the proclamation issued Friday.Biden added that, through the proclamation, “individuals who may continue to experience the unnecessary collateral consequences of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana,” will be pardoned.The proclamation builds on last year’s historicpardon for federal offenders of simple marijuana possessionand will mean that thousands of those who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia will now be eligible for pardons.Currently, 25 states in the U.S. have fully legalized the use of marijuana, while 14 have legalized the its medical usage.The 11 other people formally granted clemency on Friday had convictions ranging from conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The White House described the sentences for those nonviolent drug offenses as “disproportionately long.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.The ability to set aside federal criminal convictions — even to try and prevent future prosecutions for a federal crime for which someone has not yet been charged — is one of the signature authorities of a president and it has few restrictions. (It does not, however, affect state crimes.)During his 2019 presidential campaign, Biden had expressed that “nobody should be in jail for smoking marijuana,” and the White House has said the executive clemencies are meant to rectify racial disparities in the justice system.
PresidentJoe Bidenon Friday announced the pardons of 11 nonviolent convicted drug offenders, alsoissuing a proclamationthat would pardon those convicted of certain marijuana offenses.
“As I have said before, criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” Biden, 81, said in the proclamation issued Friday.
Biden added that, through the proclamation, “individuals who may continue to experience the unnecessary collateral consequences of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana,” will be pardoned.
The proclamation builds on last year’s historicpardon for federal offenders of simple marijuana possessionand will mean that thousands of those who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia will now be eligible for pardons.
Currently, 25 states in the U.S. have fully legalized the use of marijuana, while 14 have legalized the its medical usage.
The 11 other people formally granted clemency on Friday had convictions ranging from conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The White House described the sentences for those nonviolent drug offenses as “disproportionately long.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
The ability to set aside federal criminal convictions — even to try and prevent future prosecutions for a federal crime for which someone has not yet been charged — is one of the signature authorities of a president and it has few restrictions. (It does not, however, affect state crimes.)
During his 2019 presidential campaign, Biden had expressed that “nobody should be in jail for smoking marijuana,” and the White House has said the executive clemencies are meant to rectify racial disparities in the justice system.
source: people.com
