Vice President Kamala Harris, once known for her tough stance on marijuana as San Francisco’s District Attorney, is now promoting a legal weed agenda.

Despite overseeing nearly 2,000 marijuana-related convictions from 2004 to 2010, Harris is running on a platform to legalize recreational cannabis, pushing Americans, particularly Black men, to seize economic opportunities in the booming marijuana industry, as reported by Independent Journal Review.

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A report by The Mercury News highlighted Harris’s role in 1,956 marijuana-related convictions during her time as DA. This included cases of possession, cultivation, and sale, with some individuals facing harsher penalties alongside other offenses.

Images from Kamala Harris’ visit to Carson City. Supporters gathered at The Union to hear and see the presidential candidate in downtown Carson City on Tuesday evening April 2, 2019. Kamala Harris Visits Carson City 30

Harris’s tenure also saw 45 people sent to state prison for marijuana crimes, excluding those who served time in county jails. While some praised her approach as lenient, others, like defense attorney J. David Nick, noted that Harris often took a firmer stance than her predecessor, Terence Hallinan.

Interestingly, Harris has shifted her position over the years.

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In her current campaign, she emphasizes the benefits of legalizing marijuana for Black Americans, a key feature in her “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men.”

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This proposal faced immediate backlash, with critics arguing that the policy inappropriately targeted one racial group. Following the criticism, the Harris campaign clarified that the initiative was intended for all Americans.

The Harris team stepped back from the race-focused language after receiving threats of future litigation. However, the plan still highlights the potential for economic opportunities tied to legalized marijuana.

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Yet, this economic promise is not without its challenges, as seen in states like New York, where illegal weed vendors have flooded the market and sparked concerns.

Harris’s sudden advocacy for legal marijuana contrasts with her earlier opposition. In 2010, she opposed a ballot initiative to legalize recreational weed, and she remained neutral during a similar effort in 2016. Now, she and other supporters claim that legal weed can reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system and unlock new financial pathways.

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With polls showing Harris struggling to secure the same level of support among Black men that Barack Obama and Joe Biden once enjoyed, her campaign’s shift to focus on this demographic is clear. Whether her legal marijuana push will sway voters remains to be seen, but the policy remains controversial as the election approaches.

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