The 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) is in full swing. Delegates from across the country have flooded the United Center in Chicago, invigorated by the newly minted Harris-Walz presidential ticket. Issues like the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and women’s rights are front and center, and many speculate that cannabis will also be a hot topic of conversation.
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Vice President Harris has been touting the Biden administration’s push to reform cannabis policy for months, repeatedly saying “no one should be in jail” for possession. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was selected as Harris’s vice presidential candidate mere weeks ago, is a staunch supporter of legalization. Many have celebrated the pair as the first 420-friendly major party ticket.
Prior to the start of the DNC, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s campaign funded billboards near downtown Chicago boasting “Illinois Democrats Legalized Marijuana.” The ads are a nod to the state’s adult-use bill, which Pritzker signed into law in 2019.
On day one of the DNC earlier this week, delegates voted to adopt a draft 2024 platform covering cannabis reform. The platform reiterates Harris’s stance against incarceration for pot possession and flaunts President Biden’s pardons. While it stops short of calling for full legalization, some believe that Harris and Walz’s progressive stance could lead to broader reform should they be elected.
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“This pairing of Harris and Walz marks the first time both candidates of a major party Presidential ticket are pro-cannabis reform, which we hope indicates that rescheduling, safe banking, and further destigmatization are not only possible but are quickly becoming inevitable,” said Vince Ning, co-founder of cannabis distributor Nabis, in a statement sent to GreenState.
As Walz and Harris both prepare to give rousing primetime speeches courting progressive voters on the DNC stage, pro-pot advocates hope the plant gets a mention.
