WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of using or possessing marijuana on certain federal lands and commuted the sentences of nearly a dozen nonviolent drug offenders, echoing a move he made last year that highlighted his justice reform agenda.
The move applies to various federal lands including national parks, wildlife refuges and even the CIA. It covers only U.S. citizens and does not include charges associated with distributing marijuana or driving while using it. For possession, first-time offenders typically serve a year in jail and receive a fine of $1,000.
The president also shortened the sentences of 11 Americans serving decades-long or life sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. Those individuals would otherwise serve less time had they been charged more recently due to sentencing reforms.
An official said some people with crack cocaine convictions will have their sentences commuted, noting that powder cocaine offenses tend to receive shorter punishments. The sentencing disparity has disproportionately affected Black Americans, the official noted.
“Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs,” the president said in a statement. “Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely due to the use or possession of marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.”
Biden’s move comes as much of his criminal justice agenda remains stalled, despite being a feature of his 2020 presidential bid.
A congressional bill named in honor of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, passed the House in 2021, but did not make it through the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster.
As a candidate, Biden vowed to broadly use the clemency powers of the presidency for nonviolent crimes. While some advocates argue he has used those powers sparingly, he pardoned thousands of federal convictions for simple marijuana possession in 2022. Last December, he issued full pardons to six Americans with drug-related charges.
Earlier this week, the White House released a database intended to track federal law enforcement officer misconduct, but the data will not be publicly available.
Biden had promised that database as part of an effort to promote police accountability among federal agencies. His directive ordered for the database to be released by January of 2023, but it was delayed for almost a year.
