President Joe Biden announced the mass pardon of anyone convicted of simple marijuana possession on Oct. 6, marking an important moment for cannabis legalization in the United States. The goal was to remove the challenges and burdens placed on those individuals with a federal cannabis conviction who may face hardship in obtaining employment, housing or educational opportunities.

The importance of this action taken by Biden marks the first federal action to support cannabis in decades. The pardon does not affect the majority of individuals imprisoned for cannabis offenses, but marks an important turning point in how federal actors view cannabis and the steps they will take to decriminalize or even deprioritize cannabis from being a Schedule I narcotic. According to estimates, this action will affect approximately 6,500 individuals incarcerated under federal law for cannabis offenses, including those convicted for the same in the District of Columbia and those arrested in places under federal jurisdiction, such as airports or national parks. With the pardon in effect, these individuals would have their records cleared of the offense.

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