The United States President Joe Biden has said no one should be jailed for simply using or possessing marijuana.
In a series of posts on the President’s X account on Thursday, Biden expressed his administration’s support for the Justice Department to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under federal law.
This will loosen the strict regulations on the substance.
The reclassification of marijuana will put it in the same category as prescription drugs including ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone and no longer classified substances like heroin and LSD.
Also on Friday, Biden tweeted, “No one should be jailed for simply using or possessing marijuana.”
On Thursday, the president tweeted, “Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana.
“So today, the @TheJusticeDept is taking the next step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under federal law.”
He said, “Right now, marijuana has a higher-level classification than fentanyl and methamphetamine – the two drugs driving America’s overdose epidemic.
“That just doesn’t add up.”
“At my request, and guided by science and evidence, HHS and DOJ have studied the drug’s medical use and abuse and dependency potential and are recommending rescheduling – concluding reclassification would remove barriers to critical research.
“No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.
“Today’s announcement builds on the work we’ve already done to pardon a record number of federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana.
“I’m committed to writing those historic wrongs. You have my word,” he added.
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