Biden Vows To Release Minorities Imprisoned For Marijuana Possession At Black History Month Event

President Joe Biden reiterated his stance on the criminalization of marijuana during a Black History Month event on Monday, reported Marijuana Moment.

This time he focused on the fact that minorities often face unequal enforcement of drug laws.

"I'm keeping my promise: No one should be in prison for the mere possession of marijuana," Biden said, referring to his last year's announcement that he would pardon all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession.

"Too many minorities are in prison for that," the president continued, adding that "we should pardon them, expunge their records as if it never happened so they have a chance again in society."

The White House Fact Sheet issued Monday highlighted not only the President's push to end marijuana criminalization but also his efforts to enact a review of the plant's federal scheduling status.

Biden "called on the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to expeditiously review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law," it said.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in October that the agency is ready to review cannabis' status as a Schedule I drug following Biden's historic move on marijuana.

"I think you're going to find that we're going to move as quickly as we can, but, at the end of the day, science is going to take us to a solution," Becerra said last year.

Becerra added that the Food and Drug Administration would review the plant's federal scheduling status.

Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, returns to Miami for its 16th edition.
This is the place where DEALS GET DONE, where money is raised, M&A starts, and companies meet investors and key partners. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel in Florida on April 11-12. Don’t miss out.

Photo: Benzinga edit of images by Wikimedia Commons and 2H Media on Unsplash