Democratic Lawmakers Urge Biden to Limit Weed Prosecutions Before Trump Takes Office
A group of Democratic senators and representatives is calling on President Joe Biden to take action to limit marijuana prosecutions at the federal level before he leaves office. In a letter, the lawmakers argue that while Biden’s previous pardons for marijuana possession were a step in the right direction, they did not go far enough to address the issue.
The letter, led by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden, as well as Representatives Barbara Lee, Earl Blumenauer, and Ilhan Omar, points out that the simple descheduling of marijuana will not be enough to end federal criminalization and its associated harms. They argue that possession and use of recreational marijuana, as well as some state-legal medical marijuana, will still be a violation of federal law.
The lawmakers are urging Biden to issue broader clemency, including pardons and commutations, to reduce sentences or end terms of incarceration for individuals convicted of other marijuana-related offenses. They are also asking him to issue a memorandum deprioritizing the prosecution of individuals and businesses for engaging in state-legal marijuana activity.
The letter notes that the Biden administration has the power to take action now, rather than waiting for the next administration. They point out that deprioritizing arrests and seizures related to marijuana possession is necessary, given that a significant number of drug possession arrests each year are for marijuana possession, and that Black Americans are disproportionately affected by these arrests.
The lawmakers’ request comes as the future of weed legalization under a potential second Trump term is uncertain. Trump’s picks to staff his Cabinet and high-level executive roles have indicated a potential for intense disagreement over the issue. While Trump has indicated he could be open to progress on cannabis policy, his administration has also taken steps to roll back Obama-era policies that directed the Justice Department to deprioritize anti-marijuana enforcement in states where the drug has been legalized.
The lawmakers are urging Biden to take action now, rather than waiting for the next administration, to address the issue and reduce the harms associated with marijuana criminalization.