In a recent interview Vice President Kamala Harris touted moves made by the Biden-Harris Administration to pardon marijuana offenders, while clarifying her believe that no one should be jailed for using the plant.
“[W]e have done to pardon tens of thousands of people for simple marijuana possession under the federal law”, said Kamala in an interview with Gray DC. “Because, frankly, nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed”.
Harris’ answer came in response to a question about how the administration is delivering policy promises to young and black voters.
“So these are some of the things that we have done that I think really do resonate with young people, with Black voters and young Black voters, with young Black men. And there’s more to do.”
Although the Biden-Harris Administration remains opposed to legalizing recreational marijuana, they have made some substantial steps forward in regards to marijuana law reform. For example, in December, 2022 President Biden signed into law the first piece of standalone marijuana-related legislation to ever reach the president.
The administration also called for a review of marijuana’s schedule I status, which has led to the Department of Health and Human Services to recommend to the DEA that marijuana be moved to schedule III, legalizing it nationwide for prescription use.
According to recent polling, if marijuana is rescheduled prior to the November election, President Biden will receive an 11% jump in favorability.
