Takeaways from Our Conversation on Biden’s Marijuana Pardon

There’s been no bigger cannabis news in the last few years than President Biden’s early October announcement that he intends to pardon all prior Federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana.

However, with Biden’s move, one wonders what will come of the cannabis legalization bills most recently introduced and set aside in a highly partisan Congress, and what it means for states where it’s illegal and legal.

For our latest podcast we spoke with Morgan Fox, political director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

NORML has been on the frontlines of legalization for a long time, and Fox has been busy lately fielding media calls and making media appearances to tell people what this all means.

Fox is also a featured speaker at Insurance Journal’s upcoming annual Insuring Cannabis Summit, so the podcast also touched on subjects he and his fellow panelists intend to bring up during the summit.

Following are takeaways from that conversation.

The direct effects from the move will enable thousands of people with simple possession charges at the federal level to no longer live with the consequences that come with an arrest and conviction for possession, which can affect people’s ability to get employment, housing, education, professional licensure and other things, Fox said.

“In terms of its larger effect, the administration is also urging state governors to expedite and facilitate their own restorative amnesty programs and help the vast majority of people who were arrested at the state or local level to be able to get some of those same benefits if not stronger ones that have been holding them back from being productive members of society, despite only being arrested for using a substance that’s objectively safer than alcohol,” Fox said.

He believes Biden’s pardon sends a signal to lawmakers who were reluctant to support legalization in the past.

“Partisan politics aside, this announcement really shows that lawmakers should not be afraid to embrace this issue, especially when you consider the massive amount of positive feedback that the administration has gotten since its announcement,” Fox said. “If you’re really looking at this as a lawmaker or a prospective lawmaker, it should be obvious by now that this is a priority issue for a growing number of voters.”

Fox noted that two-thirds of Americans support ending federal prohibition.

“This is something that they should not be afraid of embracing, not only because it’s the right thing to do and because it’s sound public policy, but also because it will help them politically and help show the American people that lawmakers are able to reach across the aisle and do something that the majority is in favor of,” he added.

Fox also gave a rundown of states where legalization is in the works.

Adult use measures are in the works in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“I’m very optimistic that all of them are going to pass come November, and that will greatly increase the number of federal representatives that actually have a stake in the game now that their constituents have decided that they want to enact sensible cannabis policies in regard to adult use cannabis markets,” Fox said. “It’s really just going to propel the situation, or the conversation even further than it has already gone with the Biden Administration’s announcement.”

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Topics Cannabis