Lawmakers press Biden for urgent action on marijuana reform
- Lawmakers expressed a need for President Biden to take further action on cannabis reform before his term ends.
- The letter highlights the disparity between federal and state cannabis laws and seeks resolution to the harms of criminalization.
- The call from lawmakers indicates ongoing pressure for substantive marijuana policy reform in the upcoming weeks.
In late 2023, a group of lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to take additional action towards cannabis reform before the end of his administration. They emphasized the need to address the harms resulting from the criminalization of marijuana at the federal level and pointed out that existing policies have not successfully bridged the gap between federal and state cannabis laws. The letter highlighted that while Biden had issued pardons for low-level marijuana offenses in 2022 and 2023, more measures are necessary to further alleviate the repercussions of marijuana criminalization. The lawmakers specifically called for a new round of clemency and an updated memorandum on prosecutorial discretion for federally charged marijuana offenses. They warned that any existing policies could be reversed if President-elect Donald Trump succeeded in repealing them post-2024. They expressed concern that merely rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act would not adequately resolve the discrepancies and potential conflicts of interest between state and federal cannabis legislation. Additionally, the letter stressed the significance of the Biden Administration continuing its efforts to utilize executive power in rectifying the impact of previous anti-cannabis policies. They urged Biden to encourage state governors to consider expanding marijuana clemency and eliminating penalties for low-level marijuana-related conduct within state jurisdictions. The lawmakers noted that while current initiatives show progress, they should not be viewed as the terminal point of the administration's historic attempts to reform federal marijuana policy. Overall, the appeal from lawmakers demonstrates the ongoing pressure on the Biden administration regarding cannabis issues and establishes a clear expectation for further action that could curb the continued effects of marijuana criminalization before the presidential transition occurs in 2024.