Joe Biden, Quick Question Before You Go: Are Those Cannabis Pardons From 2 Years Ago Still On?

It’s been two years since Joe Biden's announcement to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. Although almost everyone has likely noticed that not a single person among the approximately 3,000 people incarcerated for federal cannabis offenses has been released.

To remedy the situation, the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) has a great idea for the soon-to-be-retired president: immediately release individuals still incarcerated for federal weed offenses.

To that end, the LPP along with a bipartisan coalition of cannabis advocates has launched the  #Countdown4Clemency campaign, calling on Biden "to use his clemency powers to commute the sentences of these individuals before his term ends."

Think Of Your Legacy, President Biden

"But time is running out for President Biden to use this power effectively,” LPP wrote in a press statement shared with Benzinga. "As President Biden approaches the final months of his presidency, he has the unique opportunity to correct the injustices of the War on Drugs that he once helped champion. By commuting the sentences of those still incarcerated for cannabis, he can take a bold stand for justice, equity, and healing."

Read Also: 2024 Election & Cannabis: Swing State Voters Back Legalization, New Poll Reveals

Trump And Harris Have Their Cannabis-Pardon Comments Down Pat

Both Vice President Kamala Harris, advocating to “legalize cannabis,” and former President Donald Trump, pledging to focus on “research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana” and reclassify it as a Schedule 3 drug, have shown support—or at least empathy—toward those still incarcerated for marijuana possession.

That said, one wonders if these lofty sentiments will make it onto the to-do lists of her or his agenda once elected. Hence, the LPP’s push to do something sooner rather than later.

Biden's 2022 Call On State Governors Also Went Nowhere

Even though Biden called on governors to pardon simple marijuana possession convictions at the state level, where the majority of cannabis-related incarcerations occur, again the number of people still imprisoned remains unchanged.

Meanwhile, public support for broader clemency is substantial, with 72% of voters backing federal and state clemency efforts.

Now Read:

• Trump, Harris, Vance And Walz Agree On This: End Cannabis Criminalization In Florida

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