Mark Osler debates federal narcotic sentencing at the Hot Topics: Federal Sentencing event held at the School of Law on Thursday, September 25, 2015.

In the News: Mark Osler on Pardons for Federal Marijuana Charges

Law professor and former federal prosecutor Mark Osler joined "PBS NewsHour" to discuss Biden's plan to pardon thousands of people convicted on federal marijuana charges.

From the story: Laura Barrón-López: So, out of this announcement, what is the piece of it that could potentially have the biggest impact?

Mark Osler: Probably the talk about rescheduling marijuana. The pardon is probably going to impact a relatively small number of people, most of whom had misdemeanors as their crime of conviction. In the broader scope of things, reconceiving exactly how dangerous marijuana is and how the feds approach it is the bigger story.