Assessing the Impact of President Biden’s Marijuana Actions

In early October 2022, President Biden announced mass pardons of federal convictions for simple marijuana possession and directed an expedited administrative review of marijuana’s Schedule I classification under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The New York Times described Biden’s announcement as marking “a fundamental change” in federal cannabis policy. But will Biden’s move really be as impactful as early reactions suggest? How will they effect the status of federal marijuana reform efforts in Congress? This panel will consider the significance of President Biden’s actions, and what they suggest about the future of federal marijuana policy.