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Does Kamala Harris support legalizing fentanyl?

By Tom Kertscher
NO

Vice President Kamala Harris has not stated support for legalizing illicit use of fentanyl.

The pain reliever is legal with a prescription, but is often imported illegally and abused.

Former President Donald Trump claimed Sept. 28, 2024, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, that Harris "wants to legalize fentanyl right away."

His campaign cited a 2019 candidate questionnaire, which did not mention fentanyl. Asked if she would support federal decriminalization of “all drug possession for personal use," Harris answered yes and wrote “it is long past time that we changed" criminalization of marijuana, and that she has supported “rehabilitation over incarceration for drug-related offenses.”

Harris' campaign did not answer a question from Wisconsin Watch on whether she currently supports the decriminalization mentioned in the questionnaire.

Harris has pledged to “make it a top priority to disrupt” fentanyl entering the United States and to double U.S. Justice Department resources to do so.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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