White House hopeful Kamala Harris will introduce a Senate bill decriminalise marijuana at the federal level, erase past convictions and use funds from marijuana sales to invest in communities hit by the "war on drugs."
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Harris, a US senator from California and the state's former attorney-general, will on Tuesday be joined by Democrat Jerrold Nadler of New York, who will introduce the bill in the US House.
Both serve on the judiciary panels in their respective chambers that would hold initial hearings on the measure.
"Times have changed -- marijuana should not be a crime," Harris said.
"We need to start regulating marijuana, and expunge marijuana convictions from the records of millions of Americans so they can get on with their lives."
Harris' marijuana stances have evolved. In May 2018, the former prosecutor signed onto a bill by now fellow White House contender Senator Cory Booker to fully legalise the drug after previously supporting legalising medical marijuana and decriminalising past convictions.
Harris said their legislation, if passed, would be an "important step toward racial and economic justice."
The introduction of the bill comes one week before Harris will participate in the second Democratic presidential debate in Detroit.
Eleven states and the District of Columbia have already legalised recreational marijuana use.
Australian Associated Press
