Biden’s Marijuana Pardon Will Drive Crime Higher

If President Biden really wants to do something about the problems our cities and states are having — rising crime, addiction, and drug overdose deaths — he’s going to have to do it. may have done something to prevent illegal drug use. Instead, he chose to reduce the dangers of drug use by pardoning criminals convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. In doing so, Mr. Biden sent the wrong signal to the country at the wrong time.

“No one should go to jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Mr. Biden said in the October 6 statement. “Putting people in jail for possession of marijuana has ended too many lives and imprisoned those who have been in prison for marijuana possession. people because of behavior that many states no longer ban.”