Why did Joe Biden pardon people convicted of federal marijuana offences?
The White House wants to reclassify the drug’s legal status
ON OCTOBER 6TH President Joe Biden made good on a campaign promise to pardon people convicted of marijuana possession by the federal government. The move was part of a broader executive order directing his administration to review the way that the drug is classified, and therefore regulated. It was cheered by those who see such convictions as a shameful legacy of the war on drugs, and out of step with a country where 37 states have legalised medical or recreational marijuana. What implications will Mr Biden’s order have for America’s cannabis culture and industry?
This article appeared in the The Economist explains section of the print edition under the headline “Why did Joe Biden pardon people convicted of federal marijuana offences?”
From the October 15th 2022 edition
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