Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at the White House to a group of individuals who received pardons related to marijuana offenses, expressed her support for the legalization of cannabis, marking a potential change in the administration’s stance as the November elections approach. An attendee at the meeting disclosed Harris’s statement, which came after her public call for the DEA to expedite the rescheduling of marijuana.
Harris, who had previously advocated for cannabis legalization as a senator and during her 2020 presidential campaign, has not publicly championed the cause since joining President Joe Biden’s ticket. Throughout the campaign and her tenure as vice president, she has aligned herself with President Biden’s more moderate approach, focusing on ending cannabis-related incarceration and providing pardons for select offenses.
The White House hosted a diverse group for the discussion, including Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, rapper Fat Joe, and others, reflecting the administration’s efforts on marijuana clemency. Harris’s call for cannabis legalization, while made in private, marks a significant departure from the administration’s previous reluctance to embrace federal marijuana reform openly.
Despite the administration’s reluctance to endorse federal legalization, Biden has pardoned numerous individuals for federal marijuana possession and directed agencies to review marijuana scheduling.
In the public portion of the meeting, Harris emphasized the urgency of rescheduling cannabis, criticizing its current classification alongside drugs such as heroin. However, Harris acknowledged that rescheduling alone wouldn’t equate to federal legalization. She recognized the complexity of the issue and the need for further action beyond mere reclassification.
Although the White House recorded the closed-door discussion, including Harris’s remarks on legalization, no materials have been released yet.
Harris’s evolution on marijuana policy — from her prosecutorial days in San Francisco to her current support for legalization — reflects a nuanced journey. While the primary focus of the meeting was on the administration’s clemency initiatives, it also served as a strategic move to win over voters, particularly young voters, in light of the upcoming November elections.
Social media was recently abuzz with commentary about Biden’s congressional speech, in which he acknowledged his cannabis pardons and administrative actions. However, his mischaracterization of the pardons, implying they expunge records, could pose legal challenges for recipients.
Nonetheless, it seems Harris is taking on the role of spokesperson for the administration’s cannabis policy leading up to the elections, potentially benefiting both her and Biden’s campaigns.
Leading cannabis industry companies such as Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) are unlikely to be too excited by the statements attributed to the vice president because the industry has learned that it takes a lot more than opinions to enact reforms at the federal level, especially on matters of drug policy.
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