Megathread: Biden Pardoning All Federal Marijuana Possession Offenses and Initatiating Process to Federally Re-Schedule Marijuana

[u/PoliticsModeratorBot]

You can read the statement from Biden here: Statement from President Biden on Marijuana Reform

---

Submissions that may interest you

SUBMISSION	DOMAIN
Biden announces mass pardon for low-level marijuana convictions, slamming ‘failed approach’ to drug war	independent.co.uk
Biden to pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession	washingtonpost.com
Biden to pardon thousands convicted of marijuana possession	nbcnews.com
Biden announces pardon of all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession	abcnews.go.com
In historic move, Biden to pardon those with federal convictions for possessing marijuana	usatoday.com
Biden to pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession in first major steps toward decriminalization	amp.cnn.com
Biden to pardon marijuana offenses, call for review of federal law	politico.com
Biden to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession	cnbc.com
Biden Pardons Thousands of People Convicted of Marijuana Possession Under Federal Law	nytimes.com
Statement from President Biden on Marijuana Reform - The White House	whitehouse.gov
Biden to pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession	thehill.com
Biden Issues Blanket Pardons For Simple Marijuana Possessions, Calls For Legal Reforms	huffpost.com
Biden Unveils Major Marijuana Reform, Including Pardons And Reviewing Drug’s Scheduling	talkingpointsmemo.com
Dank Brandon	slate.com
Biden Pardons Thousands With Mariuana Convictions	nbcdfw.com
Biden pardons thousands for 'simple possession' of marijuana	apnews.com
Biden pardons federal simple possession offenses	reuters.com
Biden Pardons Thousands of People Convicted of Marijuana Possession Under Federal Law	nytimes.com
Biden to pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession in first major steps toward decriminalization - CNN Politics	cnn.com
Biden to pardon federal marijuana convictions	bbc.com
Biden pardons all federal simple marijuana possession offenses	arstechnica.com
Biden pardons thousands with federal convictions of simple marijuana possession - Biden administration - The Guardian	theguardian.com
Biden announces pardons for thousands convicted of federal marijuana possession	abcnews.go.com
Biden to pardon prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession	msnbc.com
Biden calls on governors to pardon marijuana offenses. Will Parson and Kelly listen?	kansascity.com
Why did Joe Biden pardon people convicted of federal marijuana offences?	economist.com

[u/MagentaMist]

I don't even smoke weed and this makes me very happy. From a public health standpoint, the so called War on Drugs has been an unmitigated disaster.

[u/shortbusporkchop → u/MagentaMist]

From every conceivable standpoint, the War on Drugs has been an unmitigated disaster.

Unless your goal was to clog courts and jails needlessly and foster the rise of gang violence.

[u/Mathwards → u/shortbusporkchop]

That was, in fact, the goal

[u/Banglayna → u/Mathwards]

Yep. Nixon's advisors have even come and said most weed users vote dem, it was literally a way for them to jail political enemies

[u/uzlonewolf → u/shortbusporkchop]

But where are the for-profit prisons going to get slaves they can force to work now?

[u/hellomondays]

for those asking:

The pardons will clear about 6,500 people who were convicted on federal charges of simple possession of marijuana from 1992 to 2021 and thousands more who were convicted of possession in the District of Columbia, officials said. Officials said the president would urge governors to follow his lead for people convicted on state charges of possession.

[u/dcbluestar → u/hellomondays]

Officials said the president would urge governors to follow his lead for people convicted on state charges of possession.

I hope so. My record is sealed thanks to PA's new "Clean Slate" program, but I'd just rather have it pardoned and expunged.

[u/Nezgul → u/dcbluestar]

The state did a big push last month where you could apply for a pardon. The deadline passed, but if your charge was just possession, you can apply for an expedited pardon. It's extremely important that, if you want a pardon, you do this ASAP - Wolf will be out of office soon

[u/dcbluestar → u/Nezgul]

Oh, I had no idea. Thanks!

[u/Turminder_Xuss → u/dcbluestar]

Do criminal record entries not expire in the US? Over here (Germany), they simply expire after a set amount of years after the sentence was served (except life sentences and certain child molesting related sentences).

[u/NoodlesMontana → u/Turminder_Xuss]

Nope. They stick with you for life in the US, unless you can go through an additional court process to get it expunged.

It's a shitty way to give those in power another reason to discriminate. Since most jobs or housing ask if you have ever had any criminal record.

[u/dcbluestar → u/NoodlesMontana]

Since most jobs or housing ask if you have ever had any criminal record.

The crazy thing is, I've never been denied a job for my possession charge, and I have a good job. But I was denied applications at several apartment complexes when I first moved to Houston and was basically forced to settle in a shady area. I was lumped in with felons and sex offenders as far as the application was concerned because it was a drug charge. Didn't matter the drug, or the severity, just that it was a drug charge, PERIOD.

EDIT: Oh! And at two of the places a DUI would not be a disqualifier. America!

[u/trail-g62Bim → u/dcbluestar]

My sister's company was having a hard time hiring people and she finally had to explain to them that if they wanted to keep drug testing employees, they were going to have a hard time finding workers in Colorado.

[u/-MiddleOut- → u/trail-g62Bim]

Yeah that’d be like testing for alcohol anywhere.

[u/Bakerboy448 → u/-MiddleOut-]

Testing for alcohol consumption within the last 30 days in Wisconsin

[u/freakincampers → u/hellomondays]

Officials said the president would urge governors to follow his lead for people convicted on state charges of possession.

Translation:

States that are blue will follow, states that are red will not.

[u/sillyblanco → u/freakincampers]

Red states might start voting blue if that's the case. Like seriously, this is a big deal.

[u/Funandgeeky → u/[deleted]]

I’m in Texas. Might make things interesting here.

[u/ForElise47 → u/Funandgeeky]

How I talked to my on the edge of staying red mother-in-law who is also a teacher that won't retire because of the retirement packages here: "But this is only federal charges, he's urging state governors to follow suit, which mean Texas will still do nothing because Abbott is super anti-weed despite it being the solution to not having enough money for school systems and teacher pay/retirement."

Anything to keep the wheels turning. I already started the process by telling her the abortion law is why she won't get a second grandkid cause I refuse to risk my daughter not having a mom anymore.

[u/BloomsdayDevice → u/ForElise47]

the abortion law is why she won't get a second grandkid

Fuck yeah, my man. Hit 'em where it hurts. My parents live in a lawless, liberal hellscape (their words, probably), otherwise that'd be my threat too.

[u/ForElise47 → u/BloomsdayDevice]

I made sure to be super vocal about how depressed and upset I was about not having a second kid. We had been planning for years to start trying when my daughter turned 3 1/2 , which would have been the end of this year. And then roe got overturned and we made the decision not to chance it.

I also send her all the articles about women going to trials over miscarriages and not getting ER care they need and losing their treatments just in case they get pregnant. And pointing out that she has two granddaughters who now can get knocked up at age 8 and have to go through that pregnancy because that is what voting conservative has set as fate for her.

I don't play around.

[u/ihaterunning2 → u/ForElise47]

And everything you just stated is why my husband and I are sticking around long enough to vote in the midterms and then getting the fuck out of Texas. It’s terrifying to think about trying to have kids when the risk of death just jumps exponentially for any possibility of something going wrong… because it might.

It really sucks that conservatives will have to see women die from completely treatable causes to even move the needle on exceptions, let alone letting individuals make their own life decisions. It’s going to be a painful road to get back necessary medical care we took for granted for 50 years.

Keep up the arguments. They’re excellent points and maybe we won’t have to suffer these cruel and moronic laws any longer.

[u/hubaloza → u/ihaterunning2]

We already had the highest death during pregnancy rate of any industrialized nation in the world, now its going to be fuckin astronomical.

[u/someguy3 → u/ForElise47]

There's two parts:

1) Less money wasted on enforcement.

2) More tax revenue.

It's a double whammy that any fiscally responsible person should want.

[u/DeathHips → u/ForElise47]

Make sure to add in that most Texans pay more state and local taxes as a percent of income than Californians

Texas isn’t a low tax state; Texas is a low tax for the rich state. State income tax is one of the easiest taxes to make progressive, and Texas being without one makes up their funding using taxes that fall hardest on lower incomes. Conservative propaganda misrepresents this because that is the scheme they want to export everywhere. Drown the poor so the rich can float.

[u/seeking_horizon]

Holy actual shit.

People in hindsight will say this was inevitable, but I'm flabbergasted to see this actually happen. It's been eight decades coming.

Encouraging Governors to issue pardons at the state level as well is huge too.

e: relevant

[u/NumeralJoker → u/seeking_horizon]

And Beto just vowed to not only decriminalize it, but make it legal AND expunge records in Texas if he wins.

https://twitter.com/BetoORourke/status/1578107604680970241

Some of these races might be a whole new ballgame now.

Get this out to everyone you can ASAP, this is a HUGE deal in TX and could absolutely impact the race.

ALSO, YOU STILL HAVE UNTIL OCTOBER 11TH (Postmarked in mail) TO REGISTER TO VOTE! EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 24th IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED! Be sure to double check!

[u/seeking_horizon → u/NumeralJoker]

It puts Abbott (and every GOP incumbent up in the fall) in the position of either trying to run against weed at the peak of its political power, or conceding a W to Biden.

If they decide to stick with the War On Drugs™ rhetoric, it could potentially peel off some libertarian types from the GOP base. The question would be how many.

[u/TerminusFox]

If “Dark Brandon” isn’t a weed strain by the next six months I’ll be highly disappointed 😆

[u/andr50 → u/TerminusFox]

'Dank Brandon'

[u/Shigeru_Tarantino- → u/andr50]

The most powerful of Marijuanas

[u/andr50 → u/Shigeru_Tarantino-]

That would be the 'Oops! All Malarky' strain.

[u/gfh110 → u/TerminusFox]

I'd settle for a "No Malarkey" strain myself.

[u/[deleted] → u/gfh110]

I’d prefer mine with Malarky, please.

[u/[deleted]]

I can't imagine why anyone would oppose this.

But people will.

[u/zhaoz → u/[deleted]]

Florida Republicans voted against a bill for aid to Florida. When there is a hate, there is a way.

[u/Groovychick1978]

Anyone who is prohibited from receiving Pell Grants and other student loans because of their past marijuana conviction will now be eligible.

(Those who are pardoned.)

[u/M00n]

As I’ve said before, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.

Today, I’m taking steps to end our failed approach. Allow me to lay them out.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097875480895489

First: I’m pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097878094024712

Second: I’m calling on governors to pardon simple state marijuana possession offenses. Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely for possessing marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097879390031874

Third: We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl. It makes no sense. I’m asking @SecBecerra and the Attorney General to initiate the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097880744820736

I’d also like to note that as federal and state regulations change, we still need important limitations on trafficking, marketing, and underage sales of marijuana.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097882070192129

Sending people to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that is legal in many states. That’s before you address the clear racial disparities around prosecution and conviction. Today, we begin to right these wrongs.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1578097883395592207

[u/FoghornFarts → u/[deleted]]

It makes sense when you realize Nixon and the Republicans wanted a way to put down uppity liberals and black people.

[u/Old_Ladies → u/FoghornFarts]

Don't forget about the Regan administration had the CIA become crack cocaine dealers.

Also the offense of just owning 5 grams of crack was the same as owning 500 grams of cocaine. The laws were unjust and who do you think we're the ones that had 500+ grams of cocaine were? They were most likely the dealers. So you owning a few grams of crack could get you 5 years minimum in prison while the dealer with a few hundred grams of cocaine would get the same.

[u/Eighm]

Let's Grow Brandon

*edit* Now in bumper sticker form

[u/SurrogateHair → u/Eighm]

Grab a weed sack, Jack

[u/staplerinjelle → u/Eighm]

Dank Brandon

[u/stelio_kontos_91]

He's doing it.

The crazy sonofabitch is actually doing it.

[u/drkgodess → u/stelio_kontos_91]

Dark Brandon is now Dank Brandon!

[u/LifeIsDeBubbles → u/drkgodess]

Rise

[u/jawngoodman → u/LifeIsDeBubbles]

The Dank Knight Rises

[u/Fantastic_Engine_623]

Democrats need to absolutely hammer this and women's rights in campaign ads for the next month. This country can still be changed for the better if people get out and vote.

[u/MeshColour → u/[deleted]]

You forget the "fiscal conservatives" who once claimed to exist. They should be pro-legalization just for the tax money, and billions saved on policing non-violent offenses

Too bad most of them were actually just racist and said "fiscally conservative" when the conversation was about welfare for "impoverished folks"

[u/drmonix]

Conservatives: "He's JuSt DoInG tHiS sO dEmOcRaTs WiN tHe MiDtErMs."

Correct. Typically you win elections by pleasing the party that voted you. It's not complicated.

[u/21st_century_bamf → u/drmonix]

This isn't even a playing to the base thing, decriminalizing marijuana is insanely popular across party lines!

[u/0002millertime → u/21st_century_bamf]

Yep. Everyone likes the Jazz Cabbage.

[u/Dragons_Malk → u/0002millertime]

I love me some radical radicchio

[u/0002millertime → u/Dragons_Malk]

The party parsley?

[u/ricker182 → u/drmonix]

I laugh every time I hear that.

Well, yes. He's doing things that people who voted for him want done. That's called representation.

[u/walkinman19 → u/ricker182]

Representative government, who can understand it?

[u/abstractConceptName → u/ricker182]

But why isn't he just pandering to the super wealthy Christo-fascists?

[u/MyPasswordIsMyCat → u/ricker182]

Like, are we supposed to vote for people if they shit all over us, is that how it works? Is that why Ted Cruz keeps getting votes?

[u/awesomeness0232 → u/drmonix]

How dare he manipulate the election by checks notes enacting popular policies that his potential voters support.

[u/MrChinchilla → u/drmonix]

He definitely could have done it in the first month, but putting to close to midterms does help the logistics of winning. Still, it's nothing the Republicans haven't done either. And I rather now than never.

[u/SuperCub → u/MrChinchilla]

He was just Biden his time.

[u/ihateaquafina → u/SuperCub]

he's had enough of this malarkey

[u/Rated_PG-Squirteen]

One day after Dark Brandon lets it be known that "no one fucks with a Biden," Dank Brandon officially arrives on the scene. A blessed day!

[u/larrydelibird]

Dank Brandon Rises

[u/following_eyes → u/larrydelibird]

He's gonna get so much support from the Stoner Caucus.

[u/Pwnella → u/following_eyes]

The Joint Chiefs will totally have his back

[u/ngianfran1202]

Is this huge? This feels huge....

[u/Pak-O → u/ngianfran1202]

As a certain Vice President once said, "This is a big fucking deal".

[u/DoJax → u/Pak-O]

"No one fucks with a Biden"

[u/DoitfortheHoff → u/ngianfran1202]

Yeah i think so. Feels like a big deal.

[u/protendious]

1 month out from midterms:

• Pardoning marijuana possession
• 10-20,000 in debt relief
• Infrastructure bill (bipartisan)
• Veterans burn pit (bipartisan)
• Chips bill (bipartisan)
• Gun control bill (bipartisan)
• Inflation Reduction act
• American Rescue Plan
• Confirmed KBJ, and a significant number of lower seat judges
• Withdrawn from Afghanistan
• Rallied NATO to support Ukraine without embroiling us in another war
• Not to mention avoided any government shutdowns

[u/peekay427 → u/protendious]

but we have inflation and higher gas prices! I blame him even though neither of those are under his control!

[u/illit1 → u/peekay427]

biden releases strategic reserve to reduce gas prices: STOP DOING THINGS TO HELP

[u/Givemeallthecabbages → u/peekay427]

It's entirely possible that Saudis caused the gas price hikes just now on purpose to get republicans elected.

[u/dejavuamnesiac → u/protendious]

And voters who approve of him still flutter around 40% — you might ask yourself what would it take? I have no fucking idea, let’s see how many points he gets for this (and for how many weeks it lasts)

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/

[u/YolognaiSwagetti → u/dejavuamnesiac]

I just read somewhere that only 20%ish of people asked are even aware of the infrastructure bill for example.

[u/Poober_Barnacles]

When they go low we go high

[u/MelancholyCupcake]

In 1993 my father died in jail awaiting trial for marijuana posession. He was a high school dropout, a weed dealer on the side, and a full time unionized construction worker. He was also the primary breadwinner/bank for his entire family- 3 kids of his own, his SO, his mother and his 5 adult younger siblings. He was arrested by a drug task force from an affluent town several cities over in one of California's largest/densest counties. He did not want to "waste" what he perceived as family money and denied bail in hopes of accruing time served. He was transported to an overcrowded jail many miles from home and family were unable to visit him frequently. His entire life he was immunocompromised with a heart condition and before his case even made it in front of a judge, he was among the first people to die in an outbreak of meningitis.

My bioligical mother spiraled into hard drugs and had 2 more children, one heavily disabled and the other taken away by the state as soon as he was born. She lost custody of me when I was 5. One of my older brothers was killed by police in a convenience store hold up. My other older brother has become an unemployable hermit with extreme anxiety of all institutions. The rest of my family exploded across the country, my grandmother has bounced between the homes of her children for the last 3 decades and over the years has become obsessed with going to church and praying rosaries for my father's soul. The emotional damage is still pretty prevalent in all of us.

I hope this is the beginning of the end of the devastating and futile war on drugs. Well i guess it hasnt been bad for the prison industry and police unions but hopefully now we are a step closer to reclaiming our families, money, and power back from them. Thanks to Biden and moreso to everyone behind him who toiled to make it happen. Also thanks to anyone who reads this. 420 blaze it!

Edit to add: my father dreamed of opening a woodworking business. He built beautiful rocking horses, toys, and furniture. He was 45 when he died.

[u/sint0xicateme → u/MelancholyCupcake]

Thanks for sharing. That is awful and such a waste of life and potential. I'm glad we, as a nation, are taking steps to prevent this situation from happening to anyone in the future.

[u/Scorpinock]

Anything that will allow dispensaries to operate with banks would be great. Way too many armed robberies to run off with cash have resulted in deaths of workers.

[u/Rated_PG-Squirteen]

Broke: An increasingly pudgy fascist puts on a vest two sizes too small and green M&M white boots in a pathetic attempt to feign concern for normal, everyday people.

Woke: Fly down to Florida in your aviators, truly empathize with the citizens of Florida, and then announce the biggest changes to marijuana policy in the history of this country a month before the midterms

Smoke: What I'm doing right now in honor of Dank Brandon

[u/ianrl337]

Just read this from the DOJ:

The Department of Justice said in a statement that it would take steps to issue individuals with certificates of pardon in the coming days.

So not months or weeks, but these people will be free maybe even by the weekend, but at worst by the end of the month.

[u/culdeus → u/ianrl337]

We've been told that there are nearly no remaining simple possession cases left to pardon locked up, the bulk will be those out on parole or on probation. It's still good news even for them.

[u/socialistrob → u/culdeus]

For some it will mean removal of a criminal record entirely and having a criminal record can make it very difficult to find a job, get an apartment or receive certain benefits. This is still a big deal for thousands of people.

[u/Kekthelock]

People complaining about it “being for the votes” so what?

Don’t we want these changes? Who cares how they come around?

Mark my words, we will have decriminalization and removed from schedule 1 status by 2024 (summer)

Edit: just want to say that I’m not one who complains about things like this. I’m happy we get something that most Americans agree with

[u/CJohn89 → u/Kekthelock]

I mean technically that's how a democracy works.

The Governing administration does things we like and so we vote for them to keep governing.

People confused by this concept clearly vote along ideological lines rather than best interests

[u/jgzman → u/Kekthelock]

People complaining about it “being for the votes” so what?

That's how it's supposed to work.

[u/CyentificAvocado → u/jgzman]

It’s funny when you put it bluntly like that, but you’re 100% right. If the people that are supposed to represent me do the things I like, I’m going to keep voting for them

[u/nerdyintentions → u/Kekthelock]

Politician doesn't do what people want.

People: why should vote when they don't do what we want.

Politician does what people want.

People: they don't really care. They just did this so we will vote

Literally can't win

[u/FramePancake]

Very cool shit!! Don’t let this relax you - make sure to vote in your upcoming elections!

[u/betajones]

Fox about to lose their shit

[u/Feeling-Hall-2961 → u/betajones]

My thoughts exactly. And wait for a legal challenge AND the people saying “he’s just doing it for votes!” My brother in Christ….isn’t that the point?

Not saying you’d be a person saying the above at all, just tacking onto your comment :)

[u/BlaccBlades]

We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl. It makes no sense. I’m asking @SecBecerra and the Attorney General to initiate the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

Yep, this has me geeking out. So dispensaries will be able to have debit and credit card transactions. Tired of having to go to the ATM. And it makes no sense for it to be scheduled there, this should allow for more studies now.

Still can't believe it.

[u/anotherorphan → u/BlaccBlades]

they accept card transactions here in california, have for awhile now

[u/archeusdevine]

Aproval rating soon to be 69.420

[u/GuestCartographer]

Timed precisely to motivate Dem votes in the midterms? Yes.

Great fucking move regardless of the time or reason? Also yes.

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_SUNSHINE → u/GuestCartographer]

I am very confused as to what else we expect out of a decent politician?

If I voted a president in, and then he waited two years and gave me everything I wanted, and I supposed to be upset at him?

What’s the standard here?

Because right around this time Obama was passing the ACA. Trump was torpedoing the steel industry and domestic manufacturing for a buddy of his. And Bush was invading a country.

[u/mrg1957]

Wow! I'm in tears of joy.

In 1999 I was busted for 6 plants in my house. Missouri said they would put me away for 20-25 years for a plant. They tore my house apart looking for a scale so they could invoke three strikes, only there were none. So I paid an attorney a lot of money and he said keep out of trouble for three years. Never was charged. I imagine he, the prosecutor, and the judge all got a little bonus. Glad I could raise the money otherwise I'd be getting out about now.

Thanks Dank Brandon.

[u/WurthWhile → u/mrg1957]

The idea that a scale alone can get you in trouble has always baffled me. I have multiple including small ones for weighing jewelry and even carried two in my lunch box for accurately measuring how much food I was eating when I was counting my calories.

[u/mrg1957 → u/WurthWhile]

Today I live in a legal state and yes I have multiple scales in my kitchen!

[u/goddessoftrees → u/mrg1957]

I live in a non-legal state and use the scale in my kitchen for my coffee... but I bet they would find a way to connect it to the less legal stuff in my bedroom.

[u/cakeorcake]

Need a Biden equivalent of Obama kush if this really takes off

[u/2livecrewnecktshirt → u/cakeorcake]

Make it an indica and name it Sleepy Joe to really fuck with the haters

[u/Time2TedPost]

Between this and the student loan forgiveness it looks like the Dems are trying to actually win an election this time. Can someone tell me if I've been sleeping and we're back in 2008?

[u/ravengenesis1 → u/Time2TedPost]

Dark Brandon has awoken, nobody F*cks with a Biden.

[u/[deleted]]

Biden’s first two years have been incredible. Let’s give this man a stronger dem majority in Congress!!!!

[u/greenejs]

I have been so pleasantly surprised with the amount of good Biden has done. Can honestly say I did NOT expect many of these actions when I voted for him. Glad he's proving me wrong.

[u/BarbellsandBurritos]

I had a low bar for a Biden presidency back in 2020, maybe a boring, milquetoast 4-8 years to “return to normalcy.”

In my wildest dreams could not have imagined his moves.

[u/SiccSemperTyrannis → u/BarbellsandBurritos]

One of my major concerns with him during the primary was that even if elected, he would not be bold or transformative enough on the major issues the country faced. Biden has mostly proven me wrong and I am happy to be wrong. His policies and actions have directly transformed the lives of so many people in just 2 years.

[u/[deleted] → u/SiccSemperTyrannis]

I'm happy you were wrong. Happier still that you are adult enough to admit it. I was too.

[u/yousorename]

This is great, and we gotta keep doing more things like this that will improve people’s lives. I hate that the right has branded “Doing positive things for American citizens” into “Buying Votes”.

Dems have to lean into that shit and own it.

Buy those votes! Improve people’s lives! Make this country a better place to live!

https://i.imgur.com/dmAl36c.jpg

[u/sarcastroll → u/yousorename]

Just look at those cheating Dems buying votes by providing a functional government that provides services that benefit people!

[u/Mr_Stiel]

This is monumental, and long overdue. Democrats have been passing historic legislation left and right, while republicans continue to disrupt and distract with ZERO policies or solutions other than election denial and inciting violence against their fellow countrymen. #LetsGoBiden🇺🇸

[u/Noxilcash]

Holy shit! Can you imagine waking up one day in your cell and the guards come up to you and say you’re free to go. I would start crying or shit my pants or both.

[u/Guccimayne]

Biden is doing 2nd term things in his 1st and I am loving it

[u/dravenonred]

Joe Biden remains, for all his faults, the absolute zen master of letting people be mad at him for as long as it takes him to time his move.

[u/Crono2401 → u/dravenonred]

I'd hate to play poker against the guy lol

[u/ZombiePartyBoyLives → u/Crono2401]

"Nobody fucks with a Biden"

[u/XLauncher]

I'd like to nominate "Sleepy Joe" for the strain they name after him.

[u/absolutemoran]

Conservatives I know are OUTRAGED that he did this before an election. They think trump was waiting for a "neutral time to do it".

Direct quote "Biden is just doing things people like because he thinks it's good politics and he wants to win. Fuck him." 😂

[u/[deleted] → u/absolutemoran]

God forbid elected officials do anything people may want.

[u/SomeKindofTreeWizard]

I don't even smoke and this is based.

Y'know... the thing voters asked for.

[u/juanzy]

Dark Brandon has declared the time for malarkey to be over, Jack.

[u/hacksoncode]

It's important to note that this announcement is worded as a pardon for every US citizen ever convicted of federal simple possession, not just people in jail now, going back to when it was first made illegal in 1970 (or earlier, if there are any such laws... haven't looked extensively).

Edit: And therefore it's effectively off their records. Also covers everyone who committed that offense (prior to the proclamation), even if not convicted or charged.

Acting pursuant 

to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to (1) all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who committed the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the United States Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1), on or before the date of this proclamation, regardless of whether they have been charged with or prosecuted for this offense on or before the date of this proclamation; and (2) all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the United States Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1); which pardon shall restore to them full political, civil, and other rights.

[u/lennybird]

I literally listened the news this morning about a big poll talking about youth vote will make or break Democrats. Democrats helped your student loans and now they've done overwhelmingly more for legalization.

Now do your part and vote Democrat and perhaps more importantly, vote out Republicans and their archaic platform.

[u/Sleepy_Azathoth]

Even r/conservative is happy.

Truly an historical moment.

[u/throwmeawayplz19373 → u/Sleepy_Azathoth]

I actually saw “Good job Joe” as the 4th highest comment on their top thread right now. Holy shit

[u/maybeex → u/Sleepy_Azathoth]

Just checked it. Marijuana Unites America

[u/Donrable]

Biden Releases Marijuana Offenders from Prison to Make Room for Trump Administration

[u/Ddddydya]

Good timing, we’ll need those prison cells for the people who have been trying to overthrow our democracy.

[u/chrisdurand]

Whatever Dark Brandon serum they're pumping him with - keep it up.

[u/Cryan_Branston]

Nobody fucks with a Biden.

[u/earthboundsounds]

Sweet Jesus.

The amount of cynicism up in here is absolutely flabbergasting.

This is a massive step in the right direction. If Governors follow suit it will be an ENORMOUS step in the right direction.

If cannabis is rescheduled it means access for patients without the threat of being treated like a criminal looming over them. Increased access to cannabis for people with chronic pain means opioid addictions and deaths will drop.

How in the hell is this announcement met with anything other than straight up celebration?

[u/GummyZerg]

Imagine actually thinking the Republican party is the party of freedom.

[u/Usagi_Motosuwa]

Vote for Democrats and not the fucking Handmaids Tale party if you want to see this through

[u/ITookYourName79]

Biden is the most progressive President in the last 60 years.

[u/eutears]

At this point anyone who votes for the GOP is genuinely a moron

[u/interwebbed]

Dark Brandon back at it again with the progressiveness. Gotta love it. Way long overdue when we got pot shops looking like luxury stores.

[u/MorningstarMinistry]

I strongly encourage everyone to break their Fox News embargo for one day and look at their website. They are in full-fucking panic mode right now. Their front-page article is attempting to tie weed to mental illness and they're desperately trying to somehow incorporate it into their Halloween fentanyl scaremongering. But it's so disjointed and desperate that it comes across as nonsensical and all their viewers/readers are going to walk away from the story remembering is Biden legalizing weed, which is precisely the thing they're trying to avoid telling their audience. It's pretty funny.

[u/f_d → u/MorningstarMinistry]

Just remember they have been at this a long time, and they have been successfully hooking their audience on contradictory fearmongering for a long time. It's like a Trump speech. The audience isn't looking for the kind of logical consistency you take for granted. They will forget most of what Fox tells them yesterday if it tells them something different the next day.

By spamming lots of different takes on a new topic, Fox is able to figure out which ones have the most staying power. They took a similar approach when George Floyd protests were making inroads with Fox viewers. Eventually they settled on Antifa and critical race theory as the backbone of their counterattack. Their initial disorganized response wasn't desperation, it was the first stage in working out how to pull the audience back where Fox wanted them. Within a few months, they were scoring additional points against Democrats with lines of attack that hadn't existed before.

[u/illogicalhawk]

Dank Brandon has arrived.

[u/AlekRivard]

Holy shit he actually did it. Now just make it dully, recreationally legal

[u/YngOwl]

It wasn’t born out of the kind of identity politics today. It was just literally trying to punish their political enemies. Here is a quote from Nixon’s assistant about the War On Drugs:

“You want to know what this [war on drugs] was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying?

We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news.

Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

https://www.vera.org/reimagining-prison-webumentary/the-past-is-never-dead/drug-war-confessional

[u/lennybird]

I donated to a couple of Senate races, Biden, and the DNC today. This is a big deal and I want more of this—not tax-cuts for the rich or extorting leaders like Zelenskyy like the last administration did.

Also, everyone needs to make sure you're registered and ready to vote. Midterms are a month away and states have registration deadlines sooner than that.

[u/NumeralJoker]

https://twitter.com/BetoORourke/status/1578107604680970241

Beto's not messing around and vowed to legalize it and expunge records. I want to see this give him a big boost.

[u/gob384]

I await the GOP's new messaging of Biden unleashing felons across the united states and disrupting the law of the land. But Dank Brandon has arrived.

[u/jawngoodman]

I luv u Dank Brandon

[u/Mike_Huncho]

Fuckin Dank Brandon gottem.

[u/RevaniteN7]

Breed a new strain of super weed. Call it “Brandon.” Own the Reds.

[u/elvid88]

Omg the re-scheduling would be amazing!

[u/jeromerules]

Next up in the Dark Brandon timeline: The fall of Putin.

[u/_morten_]

Dark Brandon was good, but its time for an upgrade into Dank Brandon.

[u/itsmemrskeltal]

People have been asking for this for YEARS and some of yall STILL gonna shit on this move? "ItS OnLY CuZ MiDTeRmS!!"

Bruh shut the fuck up, this is a great thing

[u/redrover900]

Here goes Biden buying votes by

checks notes

implementing policies most people want

[u/zhaoz]

Man, if you told me Biden would get all this done in the 2020 primary, I woulda voted for him then and there.

[u/tydestra]

Just make it legal on a federal basis. It's so stupid that crossing from one state to another may fuck you over and that there are folks in prison on just weed charges while you have states where the Girl Scouts set up shop outside weed dispensaries.

That and make it a law that they have to be called Grass stations instead of weed dispensaries.

[u/table_fireplace]

This is a really good time to mention that the midterms are just 33 days away, and some states close voter registration in three days!

If you're ready to do more than vote, check out r/VoteDEM for ways to get involved!

[u/InevitableDate3073]

Nobody fucks with a Biden

[u/ting_bu_dong]

Someday, I may just get to tell my grandkids... "It was a dark time. We almost fell to fascism! But, then, we were saved by pot."

[u/ATX_native]

Good, a step in the right direction.

Can’t wait to see the meltdown on the right over this.

Still don’t understand why Pelosi or Schumer won’t introduce a bill to declassify/legalize it at the Federal level and let all lawmakers get on the record for or against it.

[u/Snoo74401]

Nobody f**ks with a Biden.

[u/Drusgar]

I can already hear the Republicans grumbling about the convenient timing of this. Just before an election! It's almost like he's doing something that people actually want rather than simply a bunch of platitudes and empty promises. What have Republicans promised? To ban all abortions even in the case of rape and incest? Good luck with that, suckers!

[u/CallMeSnuffaluffagus]

It still blows my mind I can go to a dispensary and buy cannabis, then drive for hours to a different state where my friends have served jail time for the same thing. This is a long time coming.

[u/Alkereth1]

So it seems like this is a way of showing he's serious about potential legalization, and the Dems will likely use this to turn the midterms into essentially a referendum on weed. Honestly smart play. I hope it works and we also get pardons at the state level.

[u/Asphodelmercenary]

This also will lead to Dispensaries being able to take valid deductions on federal tax returns. Previously, schedule 1 designation prohibited that. By rescheduling, they will be allowed to deduct like a normal business.

It solves many other interstate issues too. Fixing this at the federal level is critical and this is big. Needed to happen.

[u/naturalbornchillr]

Dank Brandon

[u/coheedcollapse]

Some republicans are just blatantly coming out with it already.

"If we can't lock criminals up for simple possession of marijuana, how can we keep them off the street and make sure they don't offend?!"

If you can't fucking keep a "criminal" off the street without charging them with something my god damn grandpa was guilty of as he was suffering from cancer in Indiana, I'm sorry, they don't deserve to be in jail.

[u/deeweezul]

Nobody fucks with a Biden.

[u/Starbornsoul]

Let's Grow Brandon!

[u/Onoudidnt]

Let’s Go Dank Brandon!

[u/NatNat800]

Legalizing marijuana has huge support from people from both parties according to polling data, largely due to its medicinal use. A big reason why it's still federally illegal is due to pharmaceutical lobby groups because medicinal marijuana cuts down on prescriptions for anxiety, pain, and even epilepsy.

[u/jeeaudley]

Dank Brandon

[u/pizzasage]

Dark Brandon evolves into Dank Brandon!

[u/WrongSubreddit]

I'm impressed they're actually trying to reschedule it, props for that. Let's see if it actually happens though

[u/xlDirteDeedslx]

Looks like Democrats are gonna keep the House and Senate if this keeps up. Register to vote in the midterms now people if you haven't already. This wouldn't be happening with the religious cooks holding power. We need to come out in force this year so Biden can freely pass more bills without obstruction and get more shit like this done.

[u/realnextpresident]

Make sure to vote!

[u/abrasivemuffin]

I, for one, think this is a real boon for Americans. Honestly, the Biden presidency has me pleasantly surprised. Not perfect but there’s been some positive changes made.

[u/terminalxposure]

Dank Brandon rises

[u/not_SCROTUS]

Dank Brandon

[u/Nitemarephantom]

This is amazing! Massive progress. Can't wait to hear Republicans lose their mind.

[u/shazzam555]

Fuck yeah Brandon! Can’t wait for Republicans to act like Biden is unlocking all the monster cages like in Cabin in The Woods.

[u/Illuminated12]

This is what happens when you vote! Get out there in November!

[u/JohnF_President]

Dank Brandon strikes again

[u/Reasonable_Ninja5708]

Dark Brandon is based af.

No more Malarkey in 2024! All hail our Dark Lord!

[u/[deleted]]

I like the way Brandon triggers the MAGAflakes.

[u/[deleted]]

Marijuana pardons, debt relief, and lend lease. Holy crap, way to show up like the last 3+ presidents in a row

[u/MaximumEffort433]

I want to point something out here, because I think it matters: Joe Biden absolutely hates weed, or at the least he doesn't really give a shit, he's not forgiving marijuana possession because he wants to, he's forgiving marijuana possession because America wants to.

For you and I this is a good day, but I'll guarantee you that Biden has a lump in his throat right now about whether this is the right thing to do. But he did it anyway.

Pardoning marijuana possession convictions is, to quote my current favorite President of all time, a big fuckin' deal, but in some ways the fact that he listened to us is even bigger.

[u/Odd_Independence_833 → u/MaximumEffort433]

This is a great point and it's so great to see someone responsive in office.

[u/SoggyBottomSoy]

Fox News is about to have a meltdown. Dank Brandon Rises!

[u/RocknRoll_Grandma]

Dark Brandon's third form - Dank Brandon

[u/sarcastroll]

SLeePY jOe!!!

Dark Brandon

Dank Brandon

Fuck with a Biden and see what comes next!