Joe Biden's Major Announcement About Marijuana Has Twitter In A Tizzy
The United States Constitution gives presidents the ability to pardon federal crimes, and there's often a number of pardons given by a president in their last days in office, according to Pew Research. Donald Trump, for his part, had some controversial pardons of political supporters in his last days. But President Joe Biden isn't waiting for the last days of his presidency for a big time pardon. It wasn't just a pardon for one person. Biden announced he was issuing a pardon for all convicted under federal law of simple marijuana possession, and he urged state governors to do the same for violations under state law. He also asked for the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review whether marijuana should remain classified as a Schedule I narcotic — those include drugs that have no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Biden explained the reasoning: "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." With such a sweeping pardon from Biden, people are chiming in on Twitter with their thoughts.
People seem excited to hear Joe Biden's pardoning federal marijuana possession
People overall seem to be fans of President Joe Biden's marijuana pardon move. One wrote "Joe Biden pardoning weed possession charges is actual GOAT level policy work, good job." And others compared Biden's pardon of those federally convicted of simple marijuana possession to those who were pardoned by former President Donald Trump. "Joe Biden pardons weed smokers. Donald Trump pardons swindlers and war criminals. any questions" tweeted one person.
One person saw it as a move to help Democrats in the polls in November, writing "I joked about Biden legalizing weed as a final effort to push Democrats over the edge in November and holy s*** he's actually doing it." They weren't alone, another tweeted: "Joe Biden coming out for federal decriminalization of marijuana was not the October Surprise I was expecting, but it's one helluva play. He's gonna make Republicans come out against legal weed and that's a losing position."
Others seemed amused that Biden apparently signed the pardon while on Air Force One. One tweeted: "He signed the pardon while he was 'high' ... get it? lol."
Marijuana is currently legal in 19 states and in Washington D.C. and Guam, according to the US News and World Report. The Last Prisoner Project estimated around 10,000 people are incarcerated due to federal marijuana charges.