Kamala Harris On Cannabis And Crypto: Key Questions That Could Be Answered On '60 Minutes' (CORRECTED)

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Tim Walz is the governor of Minnesota.

In previous presidential elections, the Democratic and Republican candidates typically didn’t address cannabis and cryptocurrency as issues heading into Election Day.

This year, it’s different. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have recognized cannabis and cryptocurrency — two areas of coverage for Benzinga — as key topics of interest among the electorate.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the future of the cannabis market will be front and center at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago.

For Trump, he seemingly took a hint from the Biden-Harris administration and recognized that a majority of people, including most Republicans, favor marijuana legalization. Last month, he even expressed a desire to federally reschedule cannabis if he’s re-elected — a take that’s at odds with other GOP leaders.

And when it comes to crypto, Trump was notoriously a skeptic at first. Not anymore. Now the twice-impeached former president is looking to cash in on the crypto fandom he’s amassed and launch, with his sons, a new business venture called World Liberty Financial.

Voters keen on knowing where Harris stands on each issue will likely hope to get some answers this week when she and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, embark on a media blitz, starting Monday night with a “60 Minutes” interview.

The Democratic ticket will face a multitude of pointed questions on a variety of topics: the economy, inflation, women’s rights and saving democracy.

Whether Harris mentions cannabis or crypto in her media appearances this week remains to be seen. Until then, here’s a recap of the candidate’s stance and questions her interviewers would be wise to ask.

See Also: 2024 Election & Cannabis: Swing State Voters Back Legalization, New Poll Reveals

Harris On Cannabis

Last week, Harris — in an interview on “All the Smoke” — reiterated her stance on cannabis legalization to hosts and former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.

"I just feel strongly, people should not be going to jail for smoking weed. And we know historically what that has meant and who has gone to jail," Harris told Barnes and Jackson.

On average, Black people are 3.6 times more likely to be arrested on marijuana charges, according to ACLU data.

"Second, I just think we have come to a point where we have to understand that we need to legalize it and stop criminalizing this behavior," she added. "And actually, this is not a new position for me. I have felt for a long time we need to legalize. So that's where I am on that."

Harris’ critics often point to her time as California attorney general from 2011 to 2017. At the time, she did not support legalizing recreational use of marijuana. Since then, she’s changed her view.

During her 2020 debate with then-Vice President Mike Pence, Harris promised to decriminalize the drug and expunge marijuana-related criminal records. By 2022, the White House announced a pardon of all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession.

Key Question To Ask: Why has the number of people still imprisoned remained unchanged? The Last Prisoner Project has been calling on the White House to make good on its promise.

Harris On Crypto

Polymarket, where gamblers bet on real-world events using cryptocurrency, currently has Trump in the lead. This is perhaps a reflection of how the crypto community views Harris.

Over the last four years, crypto investors and venture capitalists have grown frustrated with the way Biden-appointed SEC Chair Gary Gensler approached the industry.

Harris hears these complaints. She recently commented on the future of digital assets at a Manhattan fundraiser, adding it to "innovative technologies" like artificial intelligence that are worth supporting.

She has also asked SkyBridge Capital managing partner Anthony Scaramucci and other crypto advocates to advise her campaign's policies on digital assets.

Trump once dismissed cryptocurrency as worthless. He warned in 2019 that unregulated Bitcoin BTC/USD and other digital assets can “facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity.” The quadruple-indicted candidate has since pivoted 180 degrees on his position.

Key Question To Ask: Who would Harris name as SEC chair if she’s elected president? The future of the sector depends on it, as businesses dealing with crypto remain in the dark on the industry’s legal nuances. Trump is reportedly looking to make his pick.

What's Next: The influence of Bitcoin as an institutional asset class is expected to be explored at Benzinga's upcoming Future of Digital Assets event. Check it out on Nov. 19.

And in addition to “60 Minutes,” Harris has several other media appearances during the week, including:

• Tuesday, Oct. 8, 11 a.m. ET: "The View" on ABC
• Tuesday, Oct. 8, 1 p.m. ET: "The Howard Stern Show" on SiriusXM SIRI
• Tuesday, Oct. 8, 11:35 p.m. ET: "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on CBS
• Thursday, Oct. 10, 10 p.m. ET: Town Hall with TelevisaUnivision, partially owned by Grupo Televisa TV

Now Read:

• Trump Said Harris Treated Mike Pence Horribly, Gets Slammed Online For Having A ‘Stunning Senile Moment’

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