Vice President Kamala Harris promised to legalize recreational marijuana use at the federal level if elected president, her campaign announced as part of a slate of new policy promises Monday.
Recreational cannabis is currently legal in 24 states, but has remained illegal federally, often leading to a contentious clash between overlapping laws.
The announcement was made alongside new policies the Harris campaign said form an “Opportunity Agenda” for Black men, and are designed to appeal to the important voting bloc that traditionally votes overwhelmingly in favor of Democrats.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the case of marijuana legalization, Black Americans have long been disproportionately arrested, targeted and punished by law enforcement and the judiciary for marijuana and other drug-related offenses.
According to FBI data, U.S. law enforcement agencies made roughly 217,000 arrests for marijuana-related offenses last year. Black Americans, who make up 13.7 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for 29 percent of drug arrests, according to the same data. Research also shows Black Americans are convicted at higher rates, and given longer sentences, in criminal cases.
“Vice President Harris will 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,” said the Harris campaign, in a press release.
The campaign added that Harris will “fight to ensure that as the national cannabis industry takes shape, Black men are able to access wealth and jobs in this new market.” Notably, data has shown that Black entrepreneurs and workers have frequently been shut out of the cannabis industry as it has emerged across the country as it has become legalized.
The vice president is expected to detail the legalization plan alongside other policies in Erie, Pennsylvania Monday.
Other announcements made as part of the appeal to Black men include one million fully forgivable loans up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs, training and mentorship programs to help Black men enter “high-demand” industries, financial support to Black ranchers and farmers including those who were discriminated against by banks and federal loan programs, and a national initiative focused on health issues that disproportionately impact Black men, such as prostate cancer and sickle cell disease.
While Harris maintains a commanding lead among Black voters, recent polls have shown her lagging behind historic numbers.
A New York Times/Siena poll found Harris had the support of 78 percent of Black voters. In past elections, Democratic candidates for president have won over 90 percent support from Black voters, including President Joe Biden who received 92 percent in 2020.
While in office, former president Donald Trump, Harris’ Republican opponent in the election, threatened a crackdown on states that had legalized marijuana before backing down. He has since softened his stance on weed, and supports a ballot measure that would legalize recreational use in his home state of Florida.
