Kamala Harris, Tim Walz Form First Explicitly Pro-Cannabis Legalization Presidential Ticket In History

The cannabis industry applauds VP Kamala Harris' choosing of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

A Harris-Walz team represents the cannabis industry's first explicitly pro-legalization presidential ticket from a major party in U.S. history.

‘Historic Milestone’  

“Kamala Harris’ selection of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate is a historic milestone for cannabis reform," said David Culver, SVP of Public Affairs for US Cannabis Council in an email to Benzinga. "For the first time, there will be a pro-legalization major party ticket. The US Cannabis Council is confident that a Harris Administration would continue to build on the recent progress made by the Biden Administration toward ending federal cannabis prohibition and addressing the societal impacts of the drug war."

See Also: What Is Tim Walz’s Business Background? Here’s What The Minnesota Gov. Brings To Kamala Harris Ticket

Harris has said on various occasions — despite her job as a San Francisco prosecutor — that "No one should go to jail for smoking weed." Harris backed up those words in 2018 when she co-sponsored Sen. Cory Booker‘s Marijuana Justice Act, which would legalize cannabis at the federal level.

Walz On Cannabis Legalization

Walz never had to defend his past on weed legalization as he's been on board for some time now.

In May 2023, he signed legal marijuana into law, after which Minnesota undertook a robust social equity program to include this who are too often left out of the lucrative weed industry.

"Philosophically, our goal is to make sure the equity piece was a big part of this," Walz said in February this year. "But I think the idea was, too often marginalized communities are left to the side. They're left back."

Bryan Barash, VP of External Affairs and Deputy General Counsel for Dutchie concurs that Walz is good for the industry as cannabis legalization is on the collective minds of many Americans. After all, seven in 10 voters, including a majority of Republicans, support legalizing cannabis, according to a May 2024 Fox News poll.

“Governor Walz has been an outspoken advocate of cannabis legalization in Minnesota, and with Vice President Harris, they are the first explicitly pro-legalization major party presidential ticket," Barash said. "We are encouraged by this pick and hope that, if elected, Harris and Walz will continue the progress already made towards ending federal prohibition and supporting a safe and regulated legal market. Cannabis reform is on voters' minds this election cycle, and we look forward to hearing more from Harris and Walz about what they will do to advance cannabis reform if elected."

Photo: Benzinga edit with images on Wikimedia Commons and Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash