Kamala Harris Admits To Smoking Marijuana In College Before It Was Legal In Resurfaced Interview
Kamala Harris once admitted to smoking weed when she was in college -- years before medical marijuana was even legalized.
The vice president and presidential candidate made the admission during a February 2019 interview on "The Breakfast Club."
During the interview, which recently resurfaced on X (formerly Twitter) as Harris launched her presidential campaign, host Charlamagne Tha God asked the then-senator if she had ever smoked marijuana.
"I have, and I inhale. I did inhale. It was a long time ago," Harris said.
When Charlamagne asked if she did so during college, she nodded her head yes and responded, "Uh-huh."
Just casually remembering the time Kamala Harris claimed that she used to smoke weed and listen to Tupac and Snoop Dogg while in college even though she went to school in the 80s before they made music. pic.twitter.com/QS0WyWFV0u
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 21, 2024
Later in the interview, co-host DJ Envy then asked Harris what music she liked.
At this point, Charlamagne interrupted by asking her what music she listened to while smoking cannabis in college.
Harris only responded with a laugh to Charlamagne's question before directly telling DJ Envy that she liked to listen to Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur and Cardi B songs, as seen in the video of the sit-down.
According to California's Department of Cannabis Control, medicinal marijuana use was not legalized in the state until 1996. It was legalized for recreational use in 2016.
Washington, D.C., legalized medical marijuana in 2011 and recreational marijuana in 2015.
Harris graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., with a degree in political science and economics in 1986. She received her juris doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law -- now University of California College of the Law, San Francisco -- in 1989.
The "Breakfast Club" interview has been repeatedly used to discredit Harris after Fox News and some social media users spread false claims that Harris said she listened to Snoop and Tupac's music while smoking weed in college.
Tupac and Snoop's debut albums were released in 1991 and 1993, respectively.
However, as seen in the original video (minute 36:36), Harris did not say she listened to the two rappers' music during her college years.
Days after their interview with Harris aired, Charlamagne and DJ Envy came on MSNBC to defend the then-senator and set the record straight.
"I mean, we wanted to humanize [Harris], not just talk about politics, talk about what she likes, what she does, and I asked what she listens to and she said she listens to Snoop Dogg and Tupac," DJ Envy explained.
"At the same time, my co-host was still talking about the marijuana and it was just a funny exchange. But she was actually answering me, and people took that she was answering Charlamagne and said she was lying, which is not true," he added.
Harris' ex-spokesman, Ian Sams, also pointed this out in a tweet clarifying the confusion.
"The rightwing is so desperate to attack @KamalaHarris they're trying to make Reefergate happen," Sams wrote. "@djenvy asked what she listened to. @cthagod made a pot joke. Then she answered @djenvy's question. This really isn't that complicated. Just watch."
