Biden Pardons Marijuana Possession, Orders Criminal Review (3)

President Joe Biden took his first major steps toward decriminalizing marijuana, pardoning thousands of Americans convicted for possession of the drug and ordering a review of its legal status.

Biden on Thursday issued a blanket pardon for all prior federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana. He will also urge governors to issue similar pardons for state offenses involving marijuana, senior administration officials said.

“Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,” Biden said in a statement, noting that people of color have been disproportionately ...