Overly the last couple of years, California Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Kamala Harris has openly reinstated her stance towards cannabis. Recently, she was asked about cannabis legalization by a favorite NYC radio show “The Breakfast Club,” and she responded by saying that “Half my family’s from Jamaica, are you kidding me?” The later host continued by inquiring if she smokes weed and she responded by saying “I did inhale.”
But she later clarified that it was a long time ago when she last smoked. The former California attorney general made references to Bill Clinton’s infamous 1992 campaign statement about his terrible personal experiences with marijuana while he was a student in England. Harris said that she believes cannabis brings a lot of happiness in people’s lives.
She also said that there is a need to legalize marijuana, and further studies need to be conducted to determine the impact of weed on the human brain.
Senator Harris is currently highly rated by NORML, which shows Harris’ pointed comment to former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the information page of Harris. She said that California needs Jeff Sessions. She also said that California needs to be supported in transacting with transnational criminal organizations and restricting human trafficking rather than consuming leftover medicinal marijuana.
Based on that point, the senator has been highly criticized for her aggressive policies towards human trafficking. Human trafficking organizations have been very harsh on the lives of people including consensual workers in the industry.
Harris reportedly has mix views on marijuana legalization. In 2014 she mocked reporters who questioned her about whether she was in favor of cannabis regulation. She also dismissed the pro-legalization decision of the Republican contender for her position as attorney general by stating that, “He’s entitled to his opinion.”
Despite the previous stance on legalization, Harris has joined with the other 2020 presidential candidates—and 62 percent of Americans —by becoming part of the pro-legalization camp. In 2018, Harris became a sponsor of Senator Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act that was meant to legalize cannabis at the federal level. The draft legislation also received significant proposals to offer job training for people of color that were negatively impacted by the War on Drugs and reduce support for the prison industrial complex.
According to her new book The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, Harris mentions her worries that the prohibition of cannabis has negatively affected the communities of color. She also wrote that these racial disparities are massive and unethical. Thus there is a need for the legalization and regulation of marijuana.
During her recent interview, Harris was focused on justice. She said that people of color have to be recognized. She also said that people aren’t starting on the same point based on their capacity to succeed, she further reinstated her aim to offer support to historically Black colleges and institute tax plans that would battle against poverty.
