Public Record
Marijuana and Andy Harris
He frames opposition to legalization as public safety and community protection. His voting record blocks regulation, banking reform, and even narrow bipartisan fixes— without offering a workable alternative.
What Harris says publicly
In public statements and interviews, Andy Harris often frames his opposition to marijuana legalization as a matter of public safety, medical caution, and community protection. His messaging typically emphasizes:
- Concerns about impaired driving and youth access
- Claims that marijuana legalization harms communities
- Framing prohibition as a responsible, “law-and-order” position
- Positioning himself as protecting families and public health
The rhetoric presents Harris as acting out of concern for constituents’ well-being—particularly rural and small-town communities.
Voting record
Where Harris has supported drug treatment and enforcement
Actively engaged on opioid crisis treatment and prevention
Harris toured treatment facilities including Ashley Addiction Treatment in Havre de Grace and engaged local officials on integrated care models. His support for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act is documented in the congressional record. (Source: Congress.gov — SUPPORT Act; Ashley Addiction Treatment)
Supported the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
Harris voted for H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, a bipartisan opioid response package that passed the House and was signed into law in 2018. (Source: Congress.gov — H.R.6 SUPPORT Act; GovTrack — Harris votes)
Pushed for drug interdiction at ports of entry
Harris accompanied Vice President Pence to the Port of Baltimore to discuss new drug detection equipment targeting fentanyl and other narcotics entering through the facility, focusing on supply-side enforcement as a complement to treatment. (Source: myeasternshoremd.com — Harris visits Eastern Shore delegation)
Where Harris has opposed marijuana policy reform
Blocked Washington D.C. marijuana legalization (2015)
Harris inserted a rider into federal spending legislation that prevented Washington D.C. from using local tax dollars to regulate and tax marijuana sales — overriding the will of D.C. voters who had passed a legalization initiative by a wide margin. (Source: Wikipedia — Andy Harris)
Opposed federal marijuana decriminalization legislation
Harris has voted against multiple bills that would have decriminalized marijuana at the federal level or removed it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act — a classification many medical researchers argue prevents legitimate research. (Source: GovTrack — Harris votes)
Resisted medical marijuana research pathways
Harris has been a consistent opponent of legislation expanding federal research pathways for medical cannabis, including measures that would allow more universities and labs to study cannabis as a potential treatment option. (Source: GovTrack — Harris votes)
Impact on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Economic opportunity lost
Legal marijuana represents jobs, tax revenue, and small-business growth—especially in rural areas seeking economic diversification. Harris’s obstruction limits those opportunities.
Public safety risks increased
By opposing banking and regulatory normalization, Harris contributes to cash-heavy operations that increase crime risk— undermining the public-safety argument he cites.
Disproportionate harm continues
Marijuana prohibition has been enforced unevenly, with lasting impacts on communities of color. Refusing reform sustains those inequities without offering alternatives.
Public Statements and Voting Record
Bottom line: Public Statements and Voting Record
Where he has supported drug treatment and enforcement
- Actively engaged on opioid crisis treatment
- Voted for SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
- Pushed for drug interdiction at ports of entry
Where he has opposed marijuana policy reform
- Blocked D.C. marijuana legalization over local voter will (2015)
- Voted against federal marijuana decriminalization
- Opposed expanded medical cannabis research pathways