US President Joe Biden has issued a pardon for thousands of individuals convicted of marijuana use and simple possession on federal lands and in the District of Columbia, Associated Press reports.
This move builds on a previous round of pardons issued just before the 2022 midterm elections, that aims to address racial disparities in the justice system. Biden also granted clemency to 11 individuals serving long sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.
Biden emphasized that criminal records for marijuana offenses have created unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, and education, and he called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to address marijuana convictions.
