President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he is pardoning people with federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana, a historic move that could help more than 6,500 people and sends a powerful message on how such actions should be treated. "Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana," Biden said in a video announcement. "It’s time that we right these wrongs." Biden said the "collateral consequences" of convictions for marijuana possession include being denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities. He also said Black and brown people have been arrested and convicted at disproportionate rates despite using marijuana at similar rates as white people. Marijuana is a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, the classification meant for the most dangerous substances. The classification is for drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin and LSD, while fentanyl and methamphetamine are Schedule 2 substances. Over the years, Congress has enacted dozens of mandatory minimum sentencing laws for all drug-related offenses that led to longer incarceration periods. Repeat offenders were subjected to compulsory sentence enhancements such as doubling up penalties, which vary by substance. Some have even faced mandatory life imprisonment without parole if convicted of a third serious offense, per various reports by the United States Sentencing Commission. To read more about the White House's actions on marijuana, tap the link in our bio. #potus #whitehouse #marijuana #weed