Rescheduling Cannabis: What The First Pro-Legalization Presidential Ticket Could Mean For The Industry
LKP Impact Consulting CEO Laurie Parfitt remains cautious about the immediate effects of the first explicitly pro-cannabis legalization presidential ticket of Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
What Happened: When asked how the pro-legalization stance at the highest levels of government could impact federal cannabis policy, Parfitt — who will discuss these issues in depth at the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference — acknowledged the moment’s significance.
“For the first time, higher levels of government are positively engaging with the cannabis industry,” Parfitt, a seasoned industry executive with over two decades of experience, said.
Harris’ stance would be a departure from past administrations, including that of President Joe Biden.
Biden previously supported the “War on Drugs” during much of his early political career as a U.S. senator, but shifted his position as U.S. president.
Parfitt emphasized that it remains to be seen how much of a priority cannabis reform will be amid other pressing issues, such as inflation, immigration, and global challenges like Ukraine or the ongoing conflict