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Obama Commutes 46 Drug Sentences

Some served decades for crack, weed.

President Obama announced Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 46 prisoners. Most of the offenders had been sentenced for drug crimes, and would have been released already if they had been sentenced under current guidelines, which have reduced terms for nonviolent offenses (like crack posession). “I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around,” Obama said in a letter. “Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. It will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. Perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances.” This latest batch of commutations brings Obama’s total to nearly 90.