Kamala Harris’ Potential Presidential Bid Highlights Her Evolving Stance on Cannabis
With U.S. President Joe Biden stepping aside for the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, her potential candidacy for the 2024 election against Donald Trump brings attention to her stance on multiple issues, including marijuana. As Democrats strategize to maintain control of the presidency, Harris’s evolving position on cannabis reform becomes increasingly significant.
Biden Steps Aside, Harris Steps Up
Following Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he will not seek re-election, Democrats are rapidly organizing to support Vice President Kamala Harris. Her candidacy has gained momentum, with several Democrats endorsing her and a surge in donations propelling her to the forefront of potential nominees.
The Path to Nomination
About 4,000 Democratic delegates will convene in Chicago from August 19 to 22 to select the party’s nominee. While many delegates are pledged to Biden from this year’s primaries, Harris requires the support of 1,969 of the 3,936 delegates to secure the nomination at the August convention. This crucial period will determine if Harris can consolidate her support and officially become the Democratic nominee.
Harris’ Evolving Attitude Toward Cannabis
While marijuana may not be the central issue in this presidential campaign, the industry is at a turning point. Biden has initiated a review to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would ease the tax burden on businesses and reclassify marijuana among less dangerous substances. Understanding Harris’s evolving stance on marijuana clarifies her past position and the reasons behind her current support for marijuana reform.
Initially, Harris opposed a 2010 California ballot initiative to legalize marijuana. However, by 2015, she called for an end to the federal ban on medical marijuana during the Democratic State Convention. When Californians voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, then-Attorney General Harris did not take a stance.
Transition in Public Office
During her tenure as district attorney in San Francisco, over 1,900 individuals were convicted for cannabis offenses. However, reports indicate that the majority of those apprehended for minor possession did not face incarceration. Only a few individuals were imprisoned for cannabis-related crimes under Harris’s administration. Her shift toward supporting marijuana legalization coincided with a change in her professional role, possibly influenced by a growing recognition of the need for legalization and increasing public support nationwide.
Support for Legislative Reforms
Brian Vicente, founder of the cannabis law firm Vicente LLP, highlighted Harris’s active role in trying to reform marijuana laws, co-sponsoring several bills. “Harris frequently speaks about the racial disparity in marijuana law enforcement and indicates her readiness to push forward with full-scale legalization,” he said.
In recent years, Harris has actively supported legalization and co-sponsored several proposed reforms, including the SAFE Banking Act, the Marijuana Justice Act, and the MORE Act. In a 2019 interview with The Breakfast Club, Harris expressed her support for cannabis legalization and mentioned she had smoked cannabis in college. CNN reported in 2019 that in her book released that year, Harris advocated for marijuana legalization and the expungement of nonviolent marijuana-related offenses.
Strong Advocacy for Rescheduling
With Biden’s recent review of marijuana rescheduling, Harris has urged the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous than heroin, calling the current classification “absurd and unfair.” In March, during a discussion with rapper Fat Joe and others who had been pardoned for marijuana convictions, Harris stated, “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed,” emphasizing that “far too many people have been jailed for simple marijuana possession.”
Future Marijuana Policy
Joshua Horn, Co-Chair of Cannabis Law Practice at Fox Rothschild LLP, noted that Harris’s position on cannabis has significantly evolved since her time as a prosecutor. “The inflection point will be when she is asked specifically for her position to reschedule cannabis, and I expect she will come out more definitively to support it considering President Biden supported doing so, pardoned those in Federal prison for nonviolent cannabis crimes, and advocated for state pardons,” he said.
Kamala Harris’s potential presidential bid brings her evolving stance on marijuana into the spotlight. From opposing legalization early in her career to becoming a strong advocate for cannabis reform, Harris’s journey reflects the broader shift in public opinion and political priorities. If she secures the Democratic nomination and ultimately the presidency, her administration could significantly influence the future of federal cannabis policy.
