The current vice president and presidential candidate of the Democrats, Kamala Harris, is bringing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on board as her running mate for the campaign for the presidency of the United States of America. Given that the legal status of cannabis in the U.S. is pivotal to the global approach to the plant, the international community rightly wonders whether the duo has the potential to finally legalize cannabis federally in the U.S. in the event of an election victory.
Just a few days ago, Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris announced who she would like to join her in the White House as vice president. The governor of the state of Minnesota, Tim Walz, is expected to help her reach voters, particularly those working-class, white male citizens and farmers in the country, a demographic she, as a Black woman from the academic upper class, has difficulty connecting with. Recently, we discussed Kamala Harris’s stance on cannabis; now the question arises about how her desired vice is positioned on this issue.
Cannabis Reform in Minnesota Thanks to Walz
In his home state of Minnesota, the 60-year-old Democrat Tim Walz has already made some positive strides in cannabis policy. In late May 2023, with his strong support, the legalization of cannabis for recreational use was passed, which came into effect shortly thereafter in August after Walz signed it as governor. As early as 2017, Tim Walz was advocating for legalization, and in 2019 he directed Minnesota’s state agencies to prepare for the regulation of cannabis.
In 2018, while serving as a member of the state House of Representatives, he was one of the authors of the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, which promoted research into the medical properties of the plant. His tireless commitment to legalization and regulation was also praised by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which awarded Walz an A-rating for his cannabis policy.
“We have known for too long that the prohibition of cannabis consumption has not worked. By legalizing cannabis for adult consumers, we stimulate our economy, create jobs, and regulate the industry to protect the health of the citizens of Minnesota. The legalization of cannabis for recreational use and the amnesty provisions for past offenses will strengthen society.” – said Walz after the bill’s passage in late May 2023.
Will Walz Get the Cannabis Liberalization Project After a Victory?
If Kamala Harris does become the next president of the U.S. and Tim Walz her vice president, the stars may align for federal legalization like never before, as Harris herself has increasingly positioned herself as a proponent of liberal reforms. How important the two will consider the issue after taking office, in the face of global conflicts and some domestic crises, remains uncertain. Harris appears to be liberal but is actively pushing for comparatively little in terms of a more liberal cannabis policy.
As the vice president in the U.S. tends to remain in the background and represents the president’s line and agenda, it might be conceivable for Walz to dedicate himself to the somewhat sidelined issue of cannabis on the grand stage and bring relevant reforms to fruition.