Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said in a recent interview that legalizing marijuana is a states rights issue.
(Photo credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images).
Walz, who made history as the first top-ticket candidate from a major party to sign an adult-use legalization bill into law, told Spectrum News that he views legalization as a “state issue.”
When directly asked whether marijuana should be legalized at the federal level, Walz said “Well, I think it’s an issue for states on some of those, and that’s the way the states have done it,” after addressing supporters at a Saturday rally in Superior, Wisconsin.
Last year, under a bill signed by Walz, Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize adult-use marijuana. However, he did not highlight this aspect of his record and instead adopted a noncommittal stance similar to that of his Republican counterpart, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
Vance also avoided taking a clear position when Ohio voters approved adult-use legalization last November. He and Walz are set to debate on Tuesday.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, recently endorsed Florida’s Amendment 3, which would make recreational marijuana a constitutional amendment. Trump has also expressed support for rescheduling marijuana nationally.
