Marijuana Possession: Simple possession of marijuana or usage of cannabis stands out as one of the most perplexing reasons for arresting someone in the United States. There have been thousands of citizens who have been incarcerated for decades, and the majority of their rights have been taken away from them as a result of the system labeling them as convicted criminals. If you are an American citizen who is legally deemed a criminal, it is extremely difficult for you to obtain a job that compensates you enough, to make a down payment on a house, or to make an attempt to purchase a vehicle.
In the course of their lives, a significant number of individuals who struggle to meet these fundamental requirements in life have, at some point, been convicted of either possessing or using marijuana. The situation was resolved on Friday when President Joe Biden and the White House announced that thousands of individuals who had been convicted for this offense would be granted a pardon.
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President Joe Biden grants an unprecedented pardon to Marijuana Possession
The following is a portion of the announcement that Vice President Joe Biden delivered through the official website of the White House: “As I have stated in the past, convictions for simple possession of marijuana have resulted in the imposition of unnecessary impediments to employment, housing, and educational prospects.
Through this proclamation, I intend to grant a pardon for only those offenses that involve the simple possession of marijuana, the attempted simple possession of marijuana, or the use of marijuana in violation of the laws of the District of Columbia and Maryland. Individuals who were not citizens of the United States and were not legally present in the country at the time of their offense are not eligible for this pardon.
There have been numerous attempts over the past ten years to decriminalize the use of cannabis as well as possession of the drug in several states; nonetheless, these pardons were by far one of the most significant concerns that had not yet been resolved. A significant majority of the individuals who are receiving this pardon have been incarcerated for a considerable amount of time for the mere offense of possessing marijuana, and as a result, they have lost a significant portion of their lives.
Even though they no longer have access to that period, at least they can reclaim a portion of their lives that was stolen from them. On the 22nd of December, the pardon was signed and made official, which was a very important day for the United States of America. Additionally, it is a coincidence that the upcoming presidential election year will take center stage.