The Postponement of the Administration’s Marijuana Reclassification Drive
The postponement of the administration’s marijuana reclassification drive is due to bureaucratic hiccups within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), according to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the presidency in 2024. During a town hall discussion moderated by The Breakfast Club’s Charlamagne tha God, Harris addressed allegations that her advocacy for legalization is at odds with her history as a prosecutor in San Francisco and Attorney General of California. She described these assertions as entirely incorrect.
Rescheduling of Marijuana
After introducing plans to abolish federal prohibition of cannabis, Harris was probed about the milder reform of marijuana rescheduling. This directive, launched by the Justice Department earlier in the year, endorses the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s recommendation to downgrade cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Vice President disclosed that the pace of the rescheduling process has been disappointing due to the DEA’s collaboration necessity.
Harris’s Record as Prosecutor
Challenged on her past dealings as a prosecutor involving allegations of targeting black men with cannabis-related charges, Harris insisted these charges were flatly false and professed she was one of California’s most forward-thinking prosecutors relating to marijuana cases during her tenure.
From 2004 to 2010 while Harris was overseeing the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, there were 1,956 misdemeanor and felony convictions for cannabis offenses. However, only 45 individuals were sentenced to state prison. The exact tally of county jail inhabitants remains unknown.
Harris’s Opportunity Agenda
Harris outlined an “opportunity agenda” that seeks to “legalize marijuana at the federal level, removing unjust legal barriers that impede Black men and other Americans.” She pledged to foster an environment where black men—often disproportionately charged with marijuana use—can partake in the wealth and job opportunities of the expanding national cannabis market.
Harris took issue with Trump’s dissenting perspective on cannabis laws, highlighting that his administration threatened federal marijuana prosecutions in states that had legalized the herb. She depicted this policy as disproportionately impacting Black Americans.
Harris expressed a firm resolve to legalize and decriminalize cannabis during her campaign, pledging to reduce marijuana’s status within the CSA during her term as vice president. “As president, my commitment is to work toward its decriminalization,” she stated.
Banking and Marijuana
Talking about anticipated developments after a possible Democratic Congress takeover, Harris underlined that the matter of banking was a national issue requiring a better-informed, decisive Congress. She proposed that a Congress under Democratic leadership could potentially soften constraints on banks handling transactions with marijuana companies.
Contrarily, Presidential candidate Donald Trump recently pledged his support for federal marijuana rescheduling and banking accessibility during his re-election campaign. Nonetheless, Harris’s campaign has accused the ex-President of floating perplexing policy suggestions that require scrutiny, including his abrupt shift in cannabis policy.
