USA. Marijuana Pardons and Expungements: By the Numbers

On October 7, 2022, President Joe Biden became the first POTUS to issue mass pardons to those with low-level, federal marijuana possession convictions. In a prepared statement, the President said: “Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit. Criminal records for marijuana possession have also imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.”

To “right these wrongs,” POTUS declared that all US citizens with a criminal record for the “federal offense of possession of marijuana” would receive a Presidential pardon. According to an analysis by the U.S. Sentencing Commission of federal arrest data dating back to 1992, the President’s directive provides forgiveness to an estimated 6,557 citizens.

In December 2023, the President issued a second pardon proclamation expanding the pool of citizens eligible for relief. While the President’s historic actions have garnered worldwide attention, he is not the only elected official to issue mass pardons to those with past marijuana convictions. Governors and other elected officials in several states have taken similar actions in recent years. (NORML - National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, USA, 09.01.2024)

 https://norml.org/blog/2024/01/09/updated-norml-report-highlights-over-2-3-million-marijuana-related-expungements/