The presidential election in the US is only a few weeks away. Both candidates and voters are busy preparing for the final phase. During the recent presidential debate in Philadelphia, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump expressed their views on many issues, but there was no talk between the two on legalizing marijuana. Despite having different opinions on many subjects, this is one issue on which the views of both the candidates may be seen to be similar.
This election could be important for the possibility of changing the 100-year-old federal ban on marijuana use. Today, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana, and tax its sale like alcohol. Apart from this, 7 states have abolished jail sentence for possessing small amounts of marijuana. In total, 38 states and the District of Columbia have made laws for its medical use.
According to a survey conducted by Gallup, approximately 70% of American adults believe marijuana should be legalized.
Kamala Harris’s stance
Kamala Harris’s stance on legalizing marijuana has been changing. In 2019, she introduced a bill in the Senate to end federal criminalization of marijuana. However, there was a time when she was against it. During her 2010 race to become California’s attorney general, she opposed its legalization. But as a presidential candidate in 2019, she supported it and admitted to using it herself. She demanded amnesty for those who were sent to jail for marijuana use.
Donald Trump’s stance
Donald Trump’s stance on legalizing marijuana has always been ambiguous. He never clearly supported or opposed it while he was president. However, recently he spoke of voting in favor of legalizing marijuana in Florida. He wrote on Truth Social, ‘It’s time we end the wasteful process of sending people to jail for minor marijuana cases.’ He also said that if he becomes president, he will promote research for the medical use of marijuana and classify it as a ‘Schedule 3’ drug.
It will be interesting to see what decision whichever government is formed after the November 5 elections takes regarding legalizing marijuana.
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