At last week’s Republican National Committee conference, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) made it clear that he would prioritize his stance on public health over any potential political benefits or drawbacks of rolling back the Biden administration’s marijuana rescheduling move. “I don’t care whether it’s good for the party or not. I don’t care. It’s not good for your health,” Harris bluntly stated in an interview with Marijuana Moment.
Harris, a longtime opponent of cannabis reform, has consistently championed measures to block legalization efforts. He has supported an appropriations rider that has prevented Washington, D.C. from legalizing marijuana sales for a decade and has urged the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reject the Justice Department’s proposal to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Despite Harris’s concerns, a Schedule III reclassification would not federally legalize marijuana. Instead, it would primarily remove research barriers and allow state-licensed cannabis businesses to take federal tax deductions similar to other industries. Harris’s opposition is based on his belief that increased access to cannabis is detrimental to public health.
When questioned about how a potential second Trump administration might handle marijuana policy, Harris admitted he was unsure of Trump’s stance, stating, “You’ve got to ask Mr. Trump.” Harris also misrepresented aspects of the Biden administration’s budget concerning his controversial rider, which continues to block D.C. marijuana sales.
The congressman’s views stand in contrast to increasing state-level legalization efforts and the growing acceptance of cannabis use across the country. While Harris aligns himself with experts like National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow, who has criticized the barriers imposed by cannabis’s Schedule I status, he overlooks the NIDA’s official support for the rescheduling proposal.
As the House Rules Committee prepares to review a proposed amendment to remove the rider blocking D.C. marijuana sales, GOP lawmakers remain divided on the future of cannabis policy. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), supports states’ rights to set their own marijuana laws but opposes federal cannabis banking reform and adult-use legalization.
In contrast, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) highlights President Biden’s marijuana pardons and rescheduling efforts, while the Biden campaign seeks to differentiate his policies from those of Trump. The debate over marijuana policy continues to evolve as political figures and parties navigate the complex landscape of drug reform.
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