Thousands of lives could be affected by the Biden administration's cannabis pardon. Some in the cannabis industry are hopeful that this could be the first step towards legalization.
Alan Sylvestre / OPB
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced it would pardon an estimated 6,500 Americans convicted of cannabis possession under federal law.
The president also urged governors to take similar actions since the vast majority of cannabis possession charges are prosecuted by states and not the federal government.
Jesce Horton is the co-founder and CEO of LOWD, a Portland-based cannabis production company.
He says while many in the industry were skeptical of this announcement, he and others are hopeful for the future.
“Without a doubt, I considered it a watershed moment toward federal legalization,” Horton said.
The president also announced that he directed the Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services to review how cannabis is classified under federal drug laws.
“Even though there aren’t any tangible things. It certainly is moving us in the right direction,” Horton said.
Cannabis is legal for recreational use in 19 states, including Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
The possession of limited amounts of cannabis has been legal for adults 21 and older in Oregon since the implementation of Measure 91 in 2015.
Jesce Horton joined “Think Out Loud” to discuss Biden’s pardon announcement. You can listen to the full conversation here: