INDIANAPOLIS–Governor Holcomb said Monday that Hoosiers with minor marijuana convictions would not be pardoned, even though President Biden has already decided to pardon thousands of Americans who have been convicted for simple possession of marijuana.
He encouraged Biden to work with Congress “not around them, to discuss changes to the law federally, especially if he is requesting Governors to overturn the work local prosecutors have done by simply enforcing the law. Until these federal law changes occur, I can’t in good conscience consider issuing blanket pardons for all such offenders.”
The pardon does not cover convictions for possession of other drugs, or for charges relating to producing or possessing marijuana with an intent to distribute. Biden is also not pardoning non-citizens who were in the U.S. without legal status at the time of their arrest.
On Monday, despite not supporting pardons, Holcomb did agree that low-level marijuana offenses “should not serve as a life sentence after an individual has served their time.”
