How Trump and Harris' stances and policy plans on marijuana legalization compare

Legalizing marijuana astatine nan nationalist level is mostly celebrated pinch Americans — 57% of group opportunity marijuana should beryllium ineligible for some aesculapian and recreational purposes, while 32% opportunity it should beryllium ineligible for aesculapian usage only, according to a January Pew survey. Only 11% of Americans said it shouldn't beryllium ineligible astatine all. The rumor is 1 presidents person mostly ignored, but Vice President Kamala Harris and erstwhile President Donald Trump person talked astir nan rumor during nan 2024 campaign.

Here are nan views they've expressed truthful acold connected marijuana legalization.

Trump connected marijuana legalization

Trump hasn't said he'd support legalizing recreational weed nationally. During his 2016 campaign, Trump suggested he was successful favour of leaving nan rumor pinch the states. In October 2015, Trump said marijuana legalization "should beryllium a authorities issue, authorities by state." As president, Trump's management continued to uphold nan national prohibition of marijuana use. 

As a portion of his 2021 budget, Trump projected ending a national argumentation protecting authorities aesculapian marijuana programs from immoderate Justice Department intervention. 

Trump has said he'd ballot to legalize recreational weed successful Florida

Trump said successful September that he would ballot for a Florida ballot measurement to legalize recreational marijuana use. Other Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, reason nan measure. The amendment would legalize nan recreational usage of marijuana for group 21 years and older, allowing group to person up to astir 3 ounces astatine a time. 

"As I person antecedently stated, I judge it is clip to extremity needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for mini amounts of marijuana for individual use," Trump wrote connected his societal media platform, Truth Social. "As a Floridian, I will beryllium voting YES connected Amendment 3 this November." 

Former first woman Melania Trump has said she and nan erstwhile president scheme to ballot successful Florida connected Election Day. 

Trump has said he wants to proceed investigation connected aesculapian uses of marijuana 

Trump has besides said he wants to proceed investigation to "unlock nan aesculapian uses of marijuana to a Schedule III drug," though nan Drug Enforcement Agency announced earlier this twelvemonth nether President Biden that it would move marijuana from a Schedule I supplier to a Schedule III supplier nether nan Controlled Substances Act, meaning less restrictions. Schedule I narcotics are considered to person nary accepted aesculapian usage and a precocious imaginable for abuse. Other Schedule I narcotics see heroin and LSD. 

Schedule III drugs, which see those utilized for symptom aliases appetite suppression, person a little imaginable for misuse, but their usage could consequence successful psychological dependence. This class includes ketamine, little doses of opioid analgesics and anabolic steroids, for instance. 

"As president, we will proceed to attraction connected investigation to unlock nan aesculapian uses of marijuana to a Schedule III drug, and activity pinch Congress to walk communal consciousness laws, including safe banking for authorities authorized companies, and supporting states authorities to walk marijuana laws, for illustration successful Florida, that activity truthful good for their citizens," Trump wrote connected Truth Social successful September. 

What is Kamala Harris' stance connected marijuana legalization?

Harris hasn't made legalizing marijuana a cardinal taxable of her campaign, but she has said nan supplier should nary longer beryllium criminalized. Harris said she feels "strongly group should not beryllium going to jailhouse for smoking weed." 

"I conscionable deliberation we person travel to a constituent wherever we person to understand that we request to legalize it and extremity criminalizing this behavior," Harris said during an question and reply connected nan sports and civilization podcast, "All nan Smoke."

Harris prosecuted marijuana cases arsenic territory attorney 

But aft she was elected territory lawyer of San Francisco successful 2002, Harris prosecuted marijuana offenses erstwhile nan supplier was still forbidden successful nan Golden State. And her prosecution of marijuana crimes, including her prosecution of men of color, has been a disapproval among immoderate voters. 

As California lawyer general, an agency she was elected to successful 2010, Harris opposed allowing marijuana to beryllium sold for recreational use. 

Marijuana wasn't legalized for recreational usage successful California until 2016. 

Harris' views connected marijuana arsenic U.S. senator

As a U.S. legislator capable to style rule alternatively of a charismatic needing to travel existing law, her attack toward marijuana began to shift. 

By 2015, erstwhile she was moving for U.S. Senate, she told nan San Francisco Chronicle she had "no civilized objection" to legalizing nan recreational usage of marijuana.

And successful 2019 arsenic she was moving for president, Harris introduced legislation to legalize marijuana and expunge nonviolent weed offenses. 

In:
• Marijuana
• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump
• Decriminalize Marijuana
• Medical Marijuana
• Recreational Marijuana