Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has been a consistent supporter of cannabis legalization.
As the Democratic National Convention gets underway this week and excitement amongst Democrats grows at the prospect of a Harris-Walz presidency, many voters are eager to learn where vice presidential candidate Tim Walkz stands on a number of issues — one of which is cannabis.
Walz has a strong progressive record on issues such as healthcare and the environment, so it’s not surprising to learn that he’s also a staunch supporter of cannabis legalization.
In fact, last year, Walz signed a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis in Minnesota, taxing it at 10%. The bill, which came into effect in August of 2023, also provided for the expungement or resentencing of cannabis convictions.
“We’ve known for too long that prohibiting the use of cannabis hasn’t worked,” Walz said at the time. “Legalizing adult-use cannabis and expunging or resentencing cannabis convictions will strengthen communities.”
When enacting the new law, Walz emphasized the importance of equity and ensuring that marginalized communities were supported. The bill included grants for communities that have disproportionately suffered the effects of cannabis prohibition, as well as for substance use treatment, recovery, and prevention.
He also legalized all drug paraphernalia in Minnesota, including testing equipment and syringes, and decriminalized drug residue. Walz likewise enacted legislation to allow safe consumption sites within the state, and to create a psychedelics task force that would be responsible for researching and detailing “the legal, medical, and policy issues associated with the legalization of psychedelic medicine in the state.”
Walz has also historically supported several cannabis reform measures in Congress, including sponsoring a bill that increased medical marijuana research for veterans, and co-sponsoring bills that legalized CBD and regulated hemp.
Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, wasn’t always in favor of legalization, but she’s changed her views over time and has come out in support of cannabis legalization in recent years — calling the war on drugs an “abject failure.”
Together, Harris and Walz make up the first major party ticket to publicly support the legalization of marijuana.
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