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President Biden's recent decision to pardon his son Hunter underscores a painful hypocrisy in our justice system.

While Hunter Biden walks free, thousands of Americans remain incarcerated for nonviolent marijuana offenses – despite the president's explicit campaign promises to address these injustices.

With just days left in his presidency, Biden has yet to grant a single commutation for those languishing in federal prison for cannabis, leaving families such as those of Parker Coleman and Jerry Haymon in agony.

In December, President Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals – a historic act in terms of numbers.

But there's a glaring caveat: All of those people were already on home confinement under the CARES Act.

While this decision brings closure to those already free, it does absolutely nothing for the men and women still behind bars for marijuana offenses.

This selective mercy is not just a broken promise – it's a betrayal of the principles of equity and justice the president campaigned on.

Biden vowed to free people imprisoned for nonviolent marijuana offenses, a step that would have helped address the systemic racism and economic inequality entrenched in the war on drugs.

Instead, his administration has offered only symbolic gestures, such as pardoning low-level marijuana possession offenses - none of which has freed a single person or alleviated the lifelong impacts of felony convictions.

Astonishingly, MJBizDaily guest columnists Weldon Angelos and Kyle Kazan point out, Biden has now pardoned more turkeys than cannabis prisoners. Read story >

Biden commutes nearly 2,500 nonviolent drug sentences; marijuana impact unclear

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President Joe Biden on Friday commuted the sentences of almost 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders locked up in federal prisons.

The White House issued a short statement that did not identify any individuals nor specify which drug charges led to their incarceration.

"Today's clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes," Biden said in his statement. Read story >

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Big-picture view of global cannabis markets

E U R O P E

High Tide entering German cannabis market via acquisition

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Canada-based cannabis retailer High Tide is getting into the German medical marijuana market with the acquisition of 51% of Purecan GmbH for 4.8 million euros ($4.9 million) in a cash-and-stock deal.

Purecan's owners also agreed to give Calgary, Alberta-based High Tide an option to require the remaining interests in the company in the next five years after the deal closes.

Germany is one of the largest importers of cannabis in the world, with nearly half of imports coming from Canada.

And Frankfurt-based Purecan is a profitable cannabis importer in the European country. Read story >

N O R T H  A M E R I C A

Rescheduling process paused indefinitely after hearing canceled

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President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will wield a heavier hand than expected over the ongoing marijuana rescheduling saga after the agency's chief administrative law judge canceled hearings scheduled for next week.

DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II issued a ruling late Monday that included the cancellation of a hearing scheduled for Jan. 21 pending the outcome of a yet-to-be-filed "interlocutory appeal" to the agency's eventual administrator.

Mulrooney's ruling came in response to a Jan. 6 request from two pro-rescheduling "designated participants" that DEA Administrator Anne Milgram and her agency be removed from the proceedings for demonstrating what they argue is bias. Read story >

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

E-commerce platform Leafly moves to OTC after Nasdaq delisting

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Marijuana e-commerce platform Leafly Holdings' shares will be delisted from the Nasdaq stock market on Jan. 17 after the exchange's hearings panel determined the company didn't earn the required minimum $500,000 in net income from operations.

Leafly, which has a presence in Canada and Germany, said that when its stock stops trading on the Nasdaq, the Seattle-based company's shares will begin trading on the OTC Pink Open Market under the ticker symbols LFLY and LFLYW.

A switch from the Nasdaq to the less prestigious OTC Pink Market typically results in reduced liquidity, less institutional investor interest and more difficulty in raising capital, according to an analysis from Stock Titan. Read story >

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