We've come a long way from "I didn't inhale."

Sen. Kamala Harris, weeks into her campaign for president, not only acknowledged that she has smoked pot, but said she isn't opposed to federal legalization of marijuana.

"I think it gives a lot of people joy and we need more joy," Harris said, laughing, during an interview on the influential hip-hop radio show The Breakfast Club Monday morning.

Harris was being interviewed by Charlamagne Tha God when she admitted she smoked a joint in college. "I did inhale," she said, in a reference to President Clinton's famous equivocation when asked more than 25 years ago on the campaign trail if he had ever smoked weed.

Harris denied accusations that, as a prosecutor, she opposed marijuana legalization. "Half my family's from Jamaica," she said. "Are you kidding me?"

In her new book, Harris explicitly calls for marijuana to be legalized and regulated at the federal level. She writes: "Something else it's past time we get done is dismantling the failed war on drugs ー starting with legalizing marijuana."

Legal recreational use of cannabis, already the law of the land in 10 states, is becoming something of a litmus test for Democratic 2020 candidates, who consider it part of criminal and social justice reform.

Share:
More In Culture
'Them': A Digital Platform for the Entire LGBTQ+ Community
Sarah Burke, editor-in-chief of Them, spoke with Cheddar News about how its digital magazine offers a different setting for the LGBTQ+ community from other magazines. "From the very beginning, the intention was to create a platform that had a foundation of inclusivity and intersectionality across the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum," Burke said.
Exploring the Benefits of the Cold Plunge Fad on Social Media
Cold plunges are super hot on social media right now. Experts say they boost mental health, soothe sore muscles, and even promote weight loss.  Cheddar's Ashley Mastronardi visited Kardashian favorite, Remedy Place, to get the skinny on ice baths.
Exploring Getty's Collection Coming to Auction
An auction of artwork and furniture from philanthropists Ann and Gordon Getty is taking place at Christie's Wednesday with online sales set for Thursday. Cheddar News takes a peek at some of the arts and objects from the family's Temple of Wings home in Berkeley, Calif.
Load More