Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D- Mass., wrote a letter urging President Biden to keep his campaign promise of freeing non-violent cannabis convicts, The Hill reported.
“After over a century of failed and racist cannabis policies, we write to urge a change of course: we request that you use your executive authority to pardon all individuals convicted of non-violent cannabis offenses, whether formerly or currently incarcerated,” Warren wrote in a letter that was later co-signed by Sens. Ed Markey, (D- Mass), and Jeff Merkley, (D- Ore.)
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Biden had previously run on decriminalizing marijuana, freeing cannabis convicts from prison, and expunging their records.
Despite similar cannabis usage between whites and blacks, black people are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana. Nearly 80% of people in federal prison, and 60% of those in state prison are either black or Latino.
Prosecutors are twice as likely to pursue mandatory minimum sentences for black people compared to white people.
The three senators reminded Biden he “can and should provide a blanket pardon for all non-violent cannabis offenses” and doing so would “mark the beginning of a reversal of decades of ineffective and discriminatory cannabis policies.”
