President Joe Biden on Thursday said he has pardoned about 6,500 who had been convicted of federal marijuana possession charges. With one month to go until the midterm elections, and with Democrats slipping in the polls, the move is considered by some to be a play for votes. He framed it as a move toward racial equity.
Biden also said he will review whether marijuana should be considered a Schedule 1 drug, similar to heroin.
“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. Criminal records for marijuana possession have also imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And while white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates,” says the transcript of Biden’s remarks.
“I have directed the Attorney General to develop an administrative process for the issuance of certificates of pardon to eligible individuals. There are thousands of people who have prior Federal convictions for marijuana possession, who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My action will help relieve the collateral consequences arising from these convictions,” he said.
Biden also encouraged governors to do the same. In Alaska, marijuana has been decriminalized and commercial sales of the substance has been in law since voters passed Ballot Measure 2 in 2014.
Although he is moving to decriminalize the drug, the president said that laws governing trafficking, marketing, and under-age sales should stay in place.
He truly is the worst president ever, and has now passed Obama and Wilson for that title.
Dont’ forget Jimmy Carter!
…We need a distraction.
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Get Bill Clinton on the phone and tell him its alright that he inhaled…
Misdemeanor. Might as well pardon traffic tickets. Trying to buy votes.
This! They are bleeding voters. They see the writing on the wall. New liv voters.
So, is the president also planning to pardon all the former military members who were discharged with General or Bad Conduct discharges simply for having a hot urinalysis test?
That number will be in the tens of thousands…..
Probably not. I don’t want a dope head at the switch of an ICBM. I think the military plays by a different set of rules and for good reason.
But alcoholicsare ok?
Loco Weed has a history of loco weed in backward undeveloped places like Mexico. Booze has a 5,000 year history in Western civilization. Nuff said. Nuff said!
I don’t think you said enough.
She may be blurrier eyed, but—strewed or not—she’s still Aunt Dot!
I must admit, drinking whiskey is likely more harmful on the whole than smoking marijuana. It would be a better existence if our government could act more logically. Doesn’t our constitution allow us to act stupid… if we bring no harm to others?
…. correction: if we bring no harm to others.
Very unusual software. Every other online comment board allows editing.
You’re going to get some argument on your statement. Smoking marijuana has been proven to be harmful as is excessive indulgence in alcohol. But one or two shots of whiskey tonight has proven to be helpful. You can cut down on the risk of strokes, and is chock full of antioxidants. Plus it just tastes damn good. You can’t make marijuana taste good unless you put it in a brownie.
Hey look, Biden’s abusing his power and acting like a dictator again.
If he decriminalized crack, meth, and sex w/ your 13 year old niece Hunter might have a chance at part of his upcoming trial.
Don’t forget! Nobody F’s w/ a Biden!
What’s next?? Pardoning people who willingly got drunk?? Is there no end to this insanity?
No it’s not about being incapable of operating a vehicle or staggering around in public. It’s just about possession. You don’t get arrested for possessing alcohol unless you’re under 21. Then it’s usually just confiscated and you’re sent on your Merry way.
Oh boy, Black and Brown folks have been targeted at alarmingly higher rates then White folks!
But what of the Black Folks who are Targeted by Biden’s invasion across our Southern Border? Crickets from Joe. What of the Fentanyl streaming across the southern border which comes from CHINA? Crickets again from Joe.
Geez, I hope the demented occupant of 1700 Pennsylvania quickly finds himself better handlers. This stuff coming from Joe’s handlers is of poor quality. Find an issue that resonates with the voting public. Maybe inflation? How about reversing your handling of energy which has screwed us all? Maybe blowing up Putin’s Pipeline wasn’t a smart idea after all? Come on Man! Give us a reason to vote for Mary and Lisa!
Good news is President Biden doesn’t need any pot himself; he’s naturally ‘spaced out’.
Our (federal) marijuana laws are stupid and draconian, and should be abolished.
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Having said that, man am I getting sick of going into stores and passing people who smell like they were just sprayed by a skunk! WHAT is the deal with marijuana today, that it leaves those who smoke it stinking so absolutely nasty? I mean, they STINK!! I don’t remember that back in the early 1980s, when I occasionally used it (and not since).
I know what you mean. The smell has changed and not for the good. I was parked in the handicap parking at a local grocery store here once and a car pulled up next to me and he had his window down and he sat there for a while finishing off a joint The smell was more than I could stand and I had to roll my window up. After he was finished he got out of the car and went into the store with using a cane. I’m not criticizing him for using something for pain control, but I sure wish he would have parked downwind.
Greg, I hear you, bud! The stench had to be right up there with the smell of stale beer and old, tobacco smoke! You could have moved your car to another space and saved yourself the agony of complaining! I’m sure you’re also one of handicapped, but I’d bet you’d never park so far away from the door as to be unable to hobble into the store!
He’s got “the gift”; don’t he?
This was way overdue.
These are the actions of a dictator. Ignoring, almost encouraging drug dependency, while simultaneously attacking the private ownership of arms.
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Drugs are a way for the government to control the population,
Arms are a way for the population to control the government.
This is not about drugs, but marijuana possession. Typical bull from the extreme right-wing corner.
Heheh!
The plan is for Hunter to plea down to “simple pot” possession. The FBI can say they got their man, the justice dept can say, nobody is above the law and Joe can include him with the bunch. Seriously, a lot of those who are actually in prion or did time for pot possession, plead down to that in order to save everyone. Few if any are there because that was the original charge.
Unfortunately, as Hannity pointed out in today’s broadcast, felony crimes are often plead down to simpler ones. Thus, a dealer, if plead to a “simple pot” possession, will now fully escape what was once a more serious and deadly crime.
You’re confused. Yes, a nonviolent felony can be pled, but trafficking seldom is.
“Those convicted on drug possession charges face a wide gamut of penalties at sentencing, varying from state to state. Penalties for simple possession range from a fine of less than $100 and/or a few days in jail to thousands of dollars and several years in state prison for the same offense. Simple drug possession sentences tend to be the lightest, while intent to distribute drugs, or the cultivation/manufacturing of drugs carry much heavier penalties. Prosecutors sometimes offer plea deals to defendants who may be able to help them with a higher-priority investigation, perhaps leading to the arrest of an organized crime leader.”
LawInfo. Drug Possession Penalties and Sentencing. (2021, March 30). Thomas/Reuters. Retrieved on October 9, 2022. ‘https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/drugs-possession/drug-possession-penalties-and-sentencing.html
Weird how no one wants to talk about Joe’s role in criminalizing drug possession to begin with…. ‘https://fee.org/articles/joe-biden-the-architect-of-america-s-disastrous-war-on-drugs/
Imagine what happens to “equity” as more and more weed turns up laced with PCP, heroin, LSD, meth, ketamine, cocaine, and today’s favorite: fentanyl.
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Can’t happen here? Doesn’t happen here?
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That’s a relief.
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Defunding the cops might work now… replace ’em with chemical engineers and social workers.
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What’s not to like?
Question is, who will pardon Biden for all the crimes he has committed against this country?
Name one
Any (Demonrat-sponsored) bill that he has signed, any unconstitutional executive order that he has issued, any belligerent, warmongering act of foreign aggression that he has condoned and directed. And in each case, that would be ALL of them.
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Usurper Biden is nothing more than a puppet of forces who have the goal of undermining and destroying the United States.
It’s a bait and switch. Nobody is in Club Fed for simple marijuana possession, that is all done at the state level. OTOH, it is used as an add-on charge when the perp is indicted / charged / convicted. Think of it as additional leverage for the FBI and DoJ prosecutors and you won’t go far wrong.
If Brandon was serious about this, he (or his handlers) would propose congress remove pot from federal drug schedule. That he hasn’t done this tells you everything you need to know about it. Cheers –
Biden should have done a blanket pardon for ALL marijuana convictions, ever. This would clean the criminal records of many men who should be entering the workforce so would help with the labor shortage esp the low-end workers, who need all the help they can get with this inflation. Several economists have already suggested this as a way to improve the labor market. IMO, Biden just didn’t go far enough (he’s got do do something to fix the inflation he created by stopping drilling, and this would help).
I’m a conservative, but never understood the anti-dope or anti-booze attitude of some cons. I personally don’t care if people smoke dope or drink themselves to death if they don’t drive or bother me.
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