'No one should go to jail for smoking weed': Harris promises to legalise recreational marijuana

Kamala Harris , Democratic Presidential candidate, said on Tuesday that she will federally legalise marijuana if she wins the upcoming US elections. She made this promise as part of her campaign's new " Opportunity Agenda ," which is especially focused on Black male voters .

Harris shared a poster on the social media platform X, saying, "Kamala Harris will legalize recreational marijuana." She captioned the post with, "No one should go to jail for smoking weed."

No one should go to jail for smoking weed. pic.twitter.com/D932NCGmPP

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 15, 2024

While speaking at a town hall hosted by American radio host Charlamagne tha God in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Harris addressed criticism regarding her past record as a prosecutor. She said, "I was the most progressive prosecutor in California on marijuana cases and would not send people to jail for simple possession of weed."

The vice president also expressed frustration with the slow pace of the marijuana rescheduling process, blaming federal bureaucracy and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). She said, “We had to work with the DEA. There’s a certain level of bureaucracy that exists in the federal government that slows things down.” She added that her goal is to decriminalise marijuana due to its disproportionate impact on Black men.

Black men deserve a president who cares about making their lives better. pic.twitter.com/cUCdsvvYZ6

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 15, 2024

On Monday, Harris's campaign announced that she would work with Congress to ensure the legal cultivation, distribution, and possession of recreational marijuana across the country.

Harris's campaign said, as quoted by CNN, she would “break down unjust legal barriers that hold Black men and other Americans back by legalizing marijuana nationally, working with Congress to ensure that the safe cultivation, distribution, and possession of recreational marijuana is the law of the land.”

I have a plan to help Black Americans by capping drug prices, providing down payment assistance for homebuyers, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and more.pic.twitter.com/kVeX4TYkSK

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 15, 2024

Harris's "Opportunity Agenda" also includes measures to ensure that Black men, who have historically faced over-policing for marijuana use, gain access to jobs and wealth in the emerging cannabis market. Her agenda also includes other reforms such as offering forgivable loans to Black entrepreneurs and better regulating cryptocurrency to protect Black investors.

Previously, Harris commented on the overdue nature of marijuana reform during the All the Smoke podcast, saying, "We need to legalize it and stop criminalizing this behavior."

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has also expressed support for marijuana reform but continues to face criticism for his administration’s cannabis policy track record.