In a recent interaction with a supporter, Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated her stance on marijuana legalization.
When asked by supporter Ashley R. (last name withheld by request, for privacy reasons) whether the DEA’s initiative to move marijuana to Schedule III is sufficient change, Harris responded, “Rescheduling is great. Legalization is better. We’ve got to get it done.”
Ashley spoke to Harris privately following her speech at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority 2024 Biennial National Convention in Dallas, Texas. Ashley shared details of the conversation exclusively with The Marijuana Herald.
Earlier this year, Harris voiced support for marijuana legalization, becoming the first vice president in US history to do so. Following an event promoting the Biden Administration’s marijuana pardons, she said, “We need to legalize marijuana.” Harris has also commended the DEA’s efforts to reschedule marijuana, describing it a “major step forward“.
Harris’ comments come with just days left on the public comment period for the DEA’s proposal to move marijuana to Schedule III. The reclassification to Schedule III would place marijuana alongside substances like anabolic steroids, ketamine and codeine. This change would facilitate more extensive research into marijuana’s medicinal properties and potentially lead to wider medical use and accessibility.
However, the move would do nothing to change recreational marijuana laws or to end the nationwide prohibition on marijuana. Harris’s comments highlight the broader goal of full legalization, which she and many advocates believe is necessary to fully address the vast injustices associated with the current prohibitionist approach.
Harris opposed legalization when she was California’s Attorney General — even laughing at a reporter in 2014 who asked if she supported the state’s marijuana legalization initiative. However, she has since evolved on the issue, announcing her support for legalizing marijuana as early as 2019.
“It’s time to end mass incarceration,” Harris said in a September 2019 Tweet. “This includes legalizing marijuana, sentencing reforms, and abolishing private prisons.”
