Kamala Harris Admits 'I Inhaled' Marijuana And Now Pushes For Legalization: What This Means For 2024 Elections

Vice President Kamala Harris is making headlines as she prepares to become the Democratic nominee for president in the 2024 election after President Joe Biden opted not to seek reelection.

If Harris secures the Democratic nomination and wins the presidency, she would make history as the first major party presidential nominee to fully support marijuana legalization.

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Harris even admitted to having smoked marijuana in college. In a 2019 interview on the popular morning radio show, The Breakfast Club, Harris candidly discussed her personal experience with cannabis.

When asked by host Charlamagne tha God if she had ever smoked marijuana, Harris responded with a laugh: “I have. And I inhaled. I did inhale,” she said, taking a lighthearted jab at former President Bill Clinton's claim that he smoked but didn't inhale.

“It was a long time ago but yes,” she added. “I just broke news.”

In that prominent interview, Harris also disputed reports that she doesn’t support legalizing marijuana: “That’s not true. I think that it gives a lot of people joy and we need more joy.”

A Strong Supporter Of Marijuana Legalization

Harris has consistently advocated for cannabis legalization throughout her political career, with her stance evolving significantly over time. Initially, as the District Attorney of San Francisco, she opposed California’s Proposition 19 in 2010, which sought to legalize marijuana.

However, her position began to shift during her tenure as a U.S. Senator and Vice President.

Key moments of her advocacy include:

• 2015: Harris called for an end to the federal ban on medical marijuana during the Democratic State Convention.
• 2018: She co-sponsored the Marijuana Justice Act, aimed at legalizing marijuana at the federal level and addressing racial disparities in cannabis-related arrests.
• 2019: During an interview, she publicly supported cannabis legalization and shared her own experiences with marijuana.
• 2020: Harris's presidential campaign emphasized her commitment to cannabis reform, including the expungement of nonviolent marijuana-related offenses.
• 2024: As recently as March, she reiterated her call for legalization during discussions with marijuana pardon recipients, framing it as a critical issue of criminal justice reform.

In addition to her public support for the Marijuana Justice Act, Harris has advocated for broader marijuana reform in her book, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey.” She has called for the legalization of marijuana and the expungement of past marijuana-related offenses from individuals' records.

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