Presidential Documents

90083 

Federal Register 

Vol. 88, No. 248 

Thursday, December 28, 2023 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 10688 of December 22, 2023 

Granting Pardon for the Offense of Simple Possession of 

Marijuana, Attempted Simple Possession of Marijuana, or 

Use of Marijuana 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

In Proclamation 10467 of October 6, 2022 (Granting Pardon for the Offense 

of Simple Possession of Marijuana), I exercised my authority under the 

Constitution to pardon individuals who committed or were convicted of 

the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled 

Substances Act and section 48–904.01(d)(1) of the Code of the District of 

Columbia (D.C. Code). As I have said before, convictions for simple possession of marijuana have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, 

and educational opportunities. Through this proclamation, consistent with 

the grant of Proclamation 10467, I am pardoning additional individuals 

who may continue to experience the unnecessary collateral consequences 

of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana. Therefore, acting pursuant to the 

grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United 

States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all current United States citizens and lawful permanent 

residents who, on or before the date of this proclamation, committed or 

were convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana, attempted 

simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana, regardless of whether 

they have been charged with or prosecuted for these offenses on or before 

the date of this proclamation, in violation of: 

(1) section 844 of title 21, United States Code, section 846 of title 21, 

United States Code, and previous provisions in the United States Code 

that prohibited simple possession of marijuana or attempted simple possession of marijuana; 

(2) section 48–904.01(d)(1) of the D.C. Code and previous provisions in 

the D.C. Code that prohibited simple possession of marijuana; 

(3) section 48–904.09 of the D.C. Code and previous provisions in the 

D.C. Code that prohibited attempted simple possession of marijuana; and 

(4) provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations, including as enforced 

under the United States Code, that prohibit only the simple possession 

or use of marijuana on Federal properties or installations, or in other locales, 

as currently or previously codified, including but not limited to 25 C.F.R. 

11.452(a); 32 C.F.R. 1903.12(b)(2); 36 C.F.R. 2.35(b)(2); 36 C.F.R. 1002.35(b)(2); 

36 C.F.R. 1280.16(a)(1); 36 C.F.R. 702.6(b); 41 C.F.R. 102–74.400(a); 43 C.F.R. 

8365.1–4(b)(2); and 50 C.F.R. 27.82(b)(2). 

My intent by this proclamation is to pardon only the offenses of simple 

possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use 

of marijuana in violation of the Federal and D.C. laws set forth in paragraphs 

(1) through (3) of this proclamation, as well as the provisions in the Code 

of Federal Regulations consistent with paragraph (4) of this proclamation, 

and not any other offenses involving other controlled substances or activity 

beyond simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of 

marijuana, or use of marijuana, such as possession of marijuana with intent 

to distribute or driving offenses committed while under the influence of 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PRESDOC
90084 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 248 / Thursday, December 28, 2023 / Presidential Documents 

marijuana. This pardon does not apply to individuals who were non-citizens 

not lawfully present in the United States at the time of their offense. 

Pursuant to the procedures in Proclamation 10467, the Attorney General, 

acting through the Pardon Attorney, shall review all properly submitted 

applications for certificates of pardon and shall issue such certificates of 

pardon to eligible applicants in due course. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second 

day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and 

of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 

and forty-eighth. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28805 

Filed 12–27–23; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3395–F4–P 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PRESDOCBIDEN.EPS</GPH>