Biden pardons thousands for simple marijuana possession and orders federal cannabis review

President Biden pardons all U.S. citizens and permanent residents convicted of simple possession of marijuana under federal law, the first such mass clemency for a federal drug offense. He simultaneously directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to begin a formal review of whether cannabis should remain a Schedule I controlled substance, a classification that has defined federal marijuana policy since 1970. The DEA later proposes reclassifying cannabis to Schedule III in May 2024. Advocates call the pardon notable but limited, since most marijuana arrests occur under state law.