In a historic move, Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. This marks the first time that both candidates on a presidential ticket openly support marijuana legalization.
Governor Walz has consistently championed cannabis reform throughout his career. As governor, he signed a comprehensive legalization bill into law in 2023, making Minnesota the 23rd state to embrace marijuana reform. He also enacted significant legislation to decriminalize drug paraphernalia, establish safe consumption sites, and create a psychedelics task force.
Walz’s commitment to cannabis reform extends back to his time in Congress (2007-2019), where he sponsored legislation to promote medical cannabis research for veterans and supported bills for hemp regulation and CBD legalization. His efforts include votes to protect state marijuana programs from federal interference and support for veteran access to medical cannabis.
Critics of Walz’s record have pointed to controversies such as the hiring of a lead marijuana regulator under non-standard procedures, but his overall stance has been praised by drug policy reform advocates. His selection as Harris’s running mate brings renewed focus to cannabis issues and suggests a potentially supportive environment for national legalization efforts.
The Harris-Walz ticket represents a unique opportunity for advancing cannabis reform, with both leaders advocating for legalization and social equity initiatives. While future federal actions depend on congressional composition, the ticket’s stance promises significant support for state cannabis markets and broader drug policy reform.
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