On Friday, March 15, 2024, Vice President Harris hosted a roundtable conversation on cannabis policy and reform at the White House. The Vice President was joined by Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear as well as Fat Joe, the rapper. Also in attendance were select individuals who had previously received pardons for cannabis charges from President Biden.
Last August, President Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services issued a letter to the DEA recommending that cannabis be reclassified from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substance. In reference to this, Vice President Harris stated that she is “sure (the) DEA is working as quickly as possible and will continue to do so, and we look forward to their product of work.” While as of the round table the DEA has made no public statement on rescheduling, Vice President Harris is seemingly hopeful.
Vice President Harris’s gestures toward cannabis reform is particularly impactful, as during her time as San Francisco’s Attorney General she was largely harsh on cannabis related crimes. When regulated cannabis hit the 2010 ballots, Vice President Harris publicly opposed the measure. Additionally, as a prosecutor, her office had convicted nearly 2,000 people for cannabis violations.
However, Vice President Harris has evolved with the popular census often stating that “nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.”
For more on Vice President Harris’s cannabis round table, we suggest this Politico article.
For more on cannabis rescheduling and reform, continue reading our blog.
