In a significant development from the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris, for the first time since becoming the running mate to President Joe Biden in 2020, voiced her support for the legalization of marijuana, marking a potential shift in the administration’s stance as the November elections approach. At an event with individuals who had received cannabis pardons, Harris declared the need for legalization, according to a participant’s account.

Earlier that day, Harris had urged the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to expedite the rescheduling of cannabis. Her advocacy continued at a private gathering in the Roosevelt Room, where, in a symbolic moment under a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt and away from the media’s gaze, she unequivocally called for the end of the federal ban on cannabis, shared Chris Goldstein, a New Jersey advocate and pardon recipient present at the meeting.

Despite Harris’s historical support for marijuana reform, both as a U.S. senator and during her 2020 Democratic presidential primary campaign, her public stance had been more reserved since joining Biden’s ticket. Instead, she aligned with Biden’s narrower focus on decriminalization and pardoning certain cannabis offenses.

The event, which also included Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, rapper Fat Joe, and others, highlighted the administration’s efforts in cannabis clemency. Participants felt encouraged by the administration’s ongoing commitment to engaging with cannabis policy reform.

Harris’s private endorsement of legalization represents a notable moment for the administration, which has so far maintained a cautious approach to the increasingly popular policy of ending federal cannabis prohibition. Although the president has pardoned thousands for federal cannabis possession offenses and initiated a review of cannabis scheduling, broader legislative changes remain unfulfilled.

Harris’s recent remarks, while not publicly shared yet, reflect a more vocal stance on cannabis reform, resonating with her past advocacy and potentially signaling a strategic positioning ahead of the upcoming elections.

The administration’s actions, including the president’s mention of marijuana pardons and the scheduling review during a recent State of the Union address, suggest a desire to appeal to voters, particularly younger demographics, with the bipartisan issue of cannabis reform.

Despite these moves, the legal status of marijuana and the fulfillment of campaign promises on decriminalization remain unchanged. The DEA’s decision on rescheduling, following a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services, is awaited, with its implications for federal legalization still uncertain.

The vice president’s renewed advocacy for legalization and the administration’s broader cannabis policy efforts indicate a dynamic and evolving stance as the November elections draw nearer, underscoring the complex and ongoing dialogue surrounding cannabis reform in the United States.