“Vice President Kamala Harris proudly announced on Thursday that tens of thousands of individuals with federal convictions for simple marijuana possession have been pardoned,” a statement she has made on multiple occasions, including during an appearance in South Carolina last February and at a roundtable conversation about marijuana reform the following month.
However, it seems that Harris may have inflated the numbers. According to Marijuana Moment, the Justice Department estimates that only about 13,000 people have been granted relief under President Joe Biden’s clemency proclamations. Additionally, the Office of the Pardon Attorney has issued only 205 certificates of pardon to individuals covered by Biden’s proclamations.
In October 2022, President Biden announced pardons for individuals who had been convicted of marijuana possession under specific laws. The proclamation applied to all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who had committed the offense on or before October 6.
Further pardons were extended in December 2023 to include individuals who had violated additional laws and regulations related to marijuana possession. Despite Harris’ claim of “tens of thousands” benefiting from these pardons, the actual numbers seem to fall short of that estimate.
It is important to note that Biden’s marijuana pardons do not involve expungement of convictions, as it is not possible under current federal law. A pardon does not signify innocence or expunge the conviction, as clarified by the Justice Department.
Biden’s administration has been criticized for exaggerating the extent of its marijuana reform efforts in an attempt to appeal to younger voters. The misrepresentation of facts surrounding marijuana pardons and reform initiatives raises questions about the administration’s true intentions and impacts.
For a former drug warrior like Biden, who opposes marijuana legalization despite strong public support for it, the challenge of appealing to voters while maintaining a tough stance on drug policy remains evident. The discrepancies in claims made by Harris and Biden highlight the complexities and controversies surrounding marijuana reform efforts in the current political landscape.
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