Kamala Harris says she's smoked pot and inhaled: 'I believe we need to legalize marijuana'

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks to reporters after announcing her candidacy for President of the United States, at Howard University, her alma mater, on January 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. Harris is the first African-American woman to announce a run for the White House in 2020. less U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks to reporters after announcing her candidacy for President of the United States, at Howard University, her alma mater, on January 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. Harris is the ... more Photo: Al Drago, Getty Images Photo: Al Drago, Getty Images Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Kamala Harris says she's smoked pot and inhaled: 'I believe we need to legalize marijuana' 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Presidential hopeful and Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), a former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, said on the Breakfast Club radio show in New York on Monday that she supports the legalization of marijuana.

After making the statement, co-host Lenard McKelvey, known as Charlamagne Tha God follows up by asking Harris if she's ever smoked before.

Unlike political candidates before her, Harris doesn't dodge. "I have," she responded. "And I inhaled ... I did inhale. It was a long time ago. But, yes."

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Harris later added that she smoked a joint in college, but avoided saying whether or not she would smoke again if it became federally legalized.

"Listen, I think it gives a lot of people joy and we need more joy in this world," she said.

Hear what #KamalaHarris thinks about legalizing marijuana 💬 pic.twitter.com/YGZlCAKUZ0 — The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) February 11, 2019

After a bit of a laugh, she clarified her position.

"I have had concerns, the full record, I have had concerns," she said, outlining the need to research the effects of marijuana on a developing brain as well as what legalization would mean for drivers.

RELATED: Kamala Harris not opposed to legalizing marijuana

The statement somewhat contradicts Harris' earliest position on the matter. In 2010, as New York Magazine points out, Harris' campaign manager said that "Harris supports the legal use of medicinal marijuana but does not support anything beyond that."

Over the years, however, Harris' position evolved with the culture. By 2014, she was calling marijuana legalization "inevitable," and in 2015 she told to The Chronicle that she did not "have any moral opposition to legalization." In January 2018 she stated she believed states should be able to "do what they want."

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

