President Joe Biden on Oct. 6 announced he has chosen to pardon every person who was convicted of possessing marijuana on a federal level.
“There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden,” Biden said in a statement.
Possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor that can land a person up to one year in jail on the first offense, two years in jail on the second offense, and three years in jail for each subsequent offense.
Under federal law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug. Schedule I is the highest classification, reserved for drugs that have “a high potential for abuse” and for which there is no accepted medical use, according to the Controlled Substance Act….