In October of 2022, President Biden made a series of historic cannabis-related executive actions, including granting pardons for over 6,500 past cannabis records, calling on state governors to grant state-level pardons, and initiating a review by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice on how cannabis is scheduled under federal law.

This morning, it was announced that President Biden has heeded our call to expand on his cannabis pardons from last year. ⁣According to a statement released by the White House, the new pardons target “additional offenses of simple possession and use of marijuana under federal and D.C. law.”⁣⁣ As part of the announcement, the President also commuted the sentences of 11 individuals with non-violent drug offenses. However, none of the offenses were for cannabis.

While this is progress for those eligible for relief, these pardons and commutations are not enough to achieve true cannabis justice.⁣ As we have said before, pardons do not remove the needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities the President has rightfully acknowledged.

This announcement comes as Last Prisoner Project recently released our memo outlining how advocates can leverage the upcoming rescheduling decision to urge the federal government to take additional actions now to achieve true cannabis justice, including expanding the President's clemency power.

With the simple stroke of a pen, President Biden could release nearly 3,000 people currently incarcerated in federal prison for cannabis. We urge the President to use his clemency power to commute all federal cannabis sentences and urge Congress to enact a federal expungement law to finally shed the countless collateral consequences imposed by a criminal conviction for cannabis.

LPP continues to do our part to help states heed the President's call to provide retroactive relief, and we stand ready to help Congress and the President, too. To get involved, the public can read the memo and join our #PenToRightHistory campaign, calling on the President and state governors to grant clemency to those with cannabis convictions. Together, we have already sent over 10,000 letters!

Send a pre-written letter to make your voice heard today. Then join us for our 420 Unity Day of Action in Washington D.C. on April 18th to keep the pressure up on President Biden and other lawmakers to enact true cannabis justice.