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Biden White House fires staffers over past marijuana use, Internet says Kamala Harris 'admitted smoking it'

Harris has previously shared her support for cannabis legalization, even mentioning that she had smoked cannabis during college

A number of White House staffers were fired or demoted for past marijuana use on Thursday, March 18, regardless of whether those workers had been in one of the 14 states where weed is legal, according to a report.

According to The Daily Beast, sources who knew about the matter also said a number of young staffers were either put on probation or dismissed because they revealed past marijuana use in an official document they filled out as part of the long background check for a position in the Biden White House. In some instances, these people were informally told by the seniors that they would likely overlook some past marijuana use, only to be asked later to resign.

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“There were one-on-one calls with individual affected staffers—rather, ex-staffers,” one former White House staffer affected by the policy told The Daily Beast. “I was asked to resign.” “Nothing was ever explained” on the calls, they added, which were led by White House director of management and administration Anne Filipic. “The policies were never explained, the threshold for what was excusable and what was inexcusable was never explained.”

When questioned about the policy and its effect on the administration’s staffing, a White House spokesperson said the administration is “committed to bringing the best people into government—especially the young people whose commitment to public service can deepen in these positions,” and noted that the White House’s approach to past marijuana use is much more flexible than previous administrations. “The White House’s policy will maintain the absolute highest standards for service in government that the president expects from his administration, while acknowledging the reality that state and local marijuana laws have changed significantly across the country in recent years,” the spokesperson added. “This decision was made following intensive consultation with career security officials and will effectively protect our national security while modernizing policies to ensure that talented and otherwise well-qualified applicants with limited marijuana use will not be barred from serving the American people.”

As soon as the news made its way to social media, people started talking about it. One Internet user said: "Minimum requirement to be on the Biden team is cocaine. Marijuana isn't enough. Everyone there seems to be stoned." Another one made bizarre claims and wrote: "Biden does not approve of marijuana and never used it. Only sniffed the hair of women who did."

Questioning the move, another one wrote: "Why would Biden alienate young people, when marijuana is legal in most States? Is he crazy or his people so self righteous?" While another one said: "Kamala Harris says she listened to Snoop Dogg, Tupac while smoking weed in college years before they made music. 'I have. And I inhaled. I did inhale,' Harris said when asked if she has smoked weed. 'It was a joint.'"

Pointing out at Harris, another one wrote: "Is this how Biden is getting rid of #PresidentHarris ‘Harris says she has smoked pot and supports marijuana legalization’." Another one wrote: "#LegalizeIt - I hoped President Biden would work to legalize marijuana, not fire people over it. VP Harris admitted smoking it. "The policy has even affected staffers whose marijuana use was exclusive to one of the 14 states—and the District of Columbia—where cannabis is legal""

Several people brought up Harris' controversy that came up in 2019 over comments made during an interview with The Breakfast Club. During the interview, Harris shared her support for cannabis legalization, even mentioning that she had smoked cannabis during college. When her interviewers questioned what music she listened to, she said Snoop Dogg and Tupac. While it was unclear whether she meant this was what she was listening to while she smoked cannabis.

Rudy Guiliani and Kellyanne Conway also brought up the marijuana controversies from 2019, pointing to Harris’ record on cannabis arrests. As a prosecutor, Harris oversaw more than 1,900 marijuana-related convictions in San Francisco, which was higher than her predecessor. But some have pointed out that most of those arrested for low-level possession were never jailed. Only a few dozen people were actually sent to prison for cannabis crimes under Harris’ watch.