The new step towards the decriminalization of marijuana in the US 1:47
(CNN) --
By granting clemency to those convicted of federal marijuana possession, US President Joe Biden is taking a historic step that is likely to be widely popular and could give major Democratic caucuses a major boost. a little over a month before the midterm elections.
The measure would change the lives of thousands of Americans convicted of marijuana possession, especially if governors follow the president's example.
But there is also the risk that attacks by Republicans, who denounce Democrats as being soft on crime, will become a key factor before the elections that could give control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. to the Republican Party.
Biden takes important first steps toward decriminalizing marijuana
The president's move is limited, for now, and is not equivalent to drug legalization, an issue that is central to some campaigns this fall, including that of Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, whose Senate candidacy is the best Democrats' chance to flip a seat and could decide the fate of the chamber.
Specifically, the President will take executive action to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana.
He has also ordered the Justice Department to review the drug's classification under federal law.
It is currently listed at the same level as other more harmful substances such as LSD, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine.
White House officials said there were 6,500 people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law between 1992 and 2021. Thousands more faced state convictions.
"No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana," Biden said in a video.
"It's legal in many states, and criminal records for marijuana possession have caused unnecessary barriers to employment, housing and educational opportunities. And that's without addressing racial disparities around who suffers the consequences."
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Officials in any administration often dismiss the suggestion that their actions are purely politically motivated.
But Biden's decision on this matter represents the fulfillment of a campaign promise, and it comes just weeks before the midterm elections, so it's hard not to see this as a highly political move.
Biden's move, for example, will please civil rights and criminal justice reform advocates, since black Americans, a key demographic for the Democratic Party, are more than three times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
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And as with his plan to forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt, Thursday's decision looks like an attempt to excite younger voters, who are increasingly open to recreational use of marijuana and that are notoriously difficult to get to the polls, especially in midterm elections.
Democratic hopes of avoiding a Republican red wave in November have been buoyed by rising grassroots enthusiasm following the Supreme Court's decision on abortion, a trend that Biden's marijuana pardons could extend.
Even so, two new CNN polls in Arizona and Nevada, two crucial states to define for the Senate,
One Democrat made an immediate attempt to exploit Biden's move for his campaign.
Beto O'Rourke, who is mounting a far-reaching bid to unseat Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, issued a statement promising, "When I am Governor, we will finally legalize marijuana in Texas and expunge the records of those arrested." for possession of marijuana.
The public is ahead on marijuana
In a way, the debate over the legal status of marijuana parallels the shift in social attitudes that fueled the fight to legalize same-sex marriage, in that the public seems to be far ahead of the leaders. politicians on this issue.
Marijuana is becoming more socially acceptable and popular, a factor that is being recognized below the federal level with multiple ballot initiatives and state laws legalizing it.
Just a few months ago, the Gallup poll found for the first time that more Americans (16%) said they smoke marijuana than they had smoked a tobacco cigarette in the previous week (11%).
And in research that may underscore Biden's political goals, the National Institutes of Health reported in August that marijuana use among young adults had hit record highs.
Some 43% of the group reported using marijuana in the past year in 2021, compared to 34% in 2016 and 29% in 2011.
Last year, Gallup found that 68% of Americans favored legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
That figure suggests significant bipartisan support for the president's first historic foray into the marijuana debate.
This also follows from ballot and legislative initiatives to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, from Democratic-ruled Oregon to Republican-dominated South Dakota.
A total of 19 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use for adults 21 and older, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, an organization dedicated to cannabis legalization.
However, despite these social changes, some politicians have been reluctant to act aggressively on this issue.
Biden himself has undergone a long evolution, but his measures declared this Thursday have not yet reached the total decriminalization of the drug.
CNN's Kevin Liptak reported that there were squabbles inside the White House ahead of Thursday's announcement, made worse by Biden's personal skepticism about decriminalization.
It seems that some politicians remain concerned about being branded as permissive with drugs, as well as the possibility that the total decriminalization of marijuana could lead to more drug use among young people.
Earlier this year, for example, Democratic Delaware Governor John Carney vetoed a bill that would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, citing uncertainty about long-term health, its impact on youth and the concern about law enforcement.
ANALYSIS |
Smoking marijuana is more popular now than smoking tobacco
Republicans pounce
The president's decision could influence midterm election campaigns, even at this point.
Republicans have based their efforts to win the House and Senate in part on ads and rhetorical attacks that portray Democrats as anti-police and easy on crime.
They conjure up an image of a nation cowed by violent crime that can be blamed on Biden.
Abbott was quick to reject the president's call for governors to emulate his executive orders, laying out how some Republican candidates might respond.
"Texas is not in the habit of taking advice on criminal justice from the leader of the party seeking to defund the police and someone who has overseen a criminal justice system run amok with no-money bail and a revolving door for violent offenders," he said. Abbott campaign spokeswoman Renae Eze.
(Biden and many of this year's Democratic candidates in major races have said they don't support defunding the police.)
But Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the libertarian advocacy group that has often been a force in GOP politics, praised the president's decision, stressing how the marijuana issue doesn't always follow straight partisan lines.
"We should prioritize the resources of the criminal justice system on protecting life, liberty and property, not on incarcerating people who are not a threat to public safety," said AFP Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Brent Gardner.
"Congress must act to end the ban," he continued.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill in April that would decriminalize marijuana, with a narrow bipartisan majority.
But action has stalled in the evenly split Senate, one reason Biden is using his executive power to act.
Study explains benefits of legalizing cannabis in the US 0:47
Opponents of legalization often argue that, in addition to potentially negative health effects, marijuana can be a "gateway" drug that can lead to other substance abuse and potentially criminal behavior.
In a major report released last week, the Republican Study Committee, one of the main House GOP groups, released policy recommendations for conservatives and highlighted opposition to any move to make marijuana be more accepted.
"Marijuana remains a federally controlled substance, but that hasn't stopped more and more states and localities from legalizing it under their own laws. This has led to an explosion of marijuana use among minors, which is having a enormously negative impact on your health," the report says.
"Congress should not legalize marijuana and, at the same time, should take action to limit the ability of this new industry to harm children."
Although marijuana is considered by many consumers to be less harmful than alcohol or tobacco, the Biden administration itself warns that in the short term it can cause changes in perception and disorientation.
In the long term, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Justice, the drug can cause "physical dependence and withdrawal syndrome after its interruption, as well as addiction or psychological dependence."
However, Biden's move was immediately embraced by criminal justice reformers, given the wide racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests.
"President Biden's executive order is transformative for the lives of thousands of individuals and families harmed by our broken cannabis laws," New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker said in a statement.
"This is a huge step forward toward a fairer criminal justice system and more rational drug policy."
And Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said Biden had righted a historic wrong and warned that the "war on drugs" had hurt communities of color.
"Despite the legalization of marijuana in many states, federal prohibition has led to too many arrests and prosecutions of black and brown people, fueling mass incarceration and the devastation of our communities," Wiley said.
"Everyone in America, regardless of race or origin, has the right to live safely, provide for their families and build the future they want. We urge Congress to pass comprehensive drug reform legislation and send to the president's table."
DecriminalizationMarijuana