U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris appeared visibly surprised upon learning that a cannabis strain had been named after her, despite her history of having prosecuted some 2,000 marijuana offenders in her job as District Attorney of San Francisco.

The news of the “Kamala Kush” came out in an interview with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Laughing, Harris responded, “Really? Seriously? I did not know that.”

Alibi Cannabis, the Oregon-based company that created “Kamala Kush” describes it as an “earthy and grounding” strain with a “unique flavor for an active high.”

Kimmel also seemed surprised that the developers hadn’t sent Harris a sample. Even if they had, Harris said, “I’m not touching that.”

Harris used the opportunity to reiterate her newly-found stance that marijuana users should not face jail time.

"I think we both agree that people shouldn't have to go to jail for smoking weed. And we've pardoned a number of people," said the vice president, who was publicly called out for inflating the numbers of pardons granted by the Biden administration.

Debunks Gateway Drug Myth

In their Tuesday conversation, Harris criticized past policies that labeled marijuana a “gateway drug” as “failed policies.” She argued that resources dedicated to enforcing marijuana laws should instead focus on counseling and addressing opioid addiction and fentanyl issues.

"You know, I think it's interesting also because, remember, there was a time when people would say, ‘well, marijuana is a gateway drug,' and these were failed policies," she said. "The resources should be better directed — and will be better directed — to deal with opioid addiction and what we need to do around fentanyl, getting more resources into mental health and mental health care."

Despite her evolving views, some marijuana activists remain skeptical of Harris, pointing to her late endorsement of marijuana legalization in 2018, shortly before her presidential campaign. In 2019, Harris remarked that marijuana “gives a lot of people joy,” signifying the beginning of her pivot.

In mid-March, Harris hosted rapper Fat Joe and others at the White House to discuss the issue of incarcerating marijuana users.

She Inhaled!

During her presidential campaign in February 2019, Harris admitted in an interview on The Breakfast Club to using weed in college. "I have. And I inhaled — I did inhale. It was a long time ago. But, yes," she said invoking Bill Clinton's famous "didn't inhale" remark he made during his 1992 presidential run.

Have a look at the full Jimmy Kimmel interview:

Now Read: Michigan Beats California In Legal Cannabis Sales: Why Is Golden State’s Weed Industry Losing Its Shine?

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Lawrence Jackson via Wikimedia Commons and Alesia Kozik via Pexels