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CNN’s Harry Enten Says Democrats Could Go Up In Smoke If Trump Reclassifies Marijuana

[Screenshot/CNN]

CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump may hurt Democrats politically if he reclassifies marijuana.

Trump told reporters on Monday that he is considering reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, which has a “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependance.” The reclassification would specifically help Trump politically, particularly among those between 18 and 34 years of age, Enten said.

“Take a look at those under the age of 35 because they have been a real swing group, right? They swung wildly from the 2020 to 2024 election, going increasingly into the president’s column, and then we’ve seen them actually shift back away from the president,” Enten said. “This could be an issue that could help, among other issues, help bring them back into the president’s camp … So for me, this could be a wedge issue that the president could use, in fact, against his Democratic opposition and say, ‘hey, you know what?’ Democrats have talked the talk, but I’m actually going to walk the walk when it comes to legalizing marijuana.”

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While citing the prediction markets, Enten indicated that there is an 88% chance that Trump will reclassify marijuana before the end of his term.

A Gallup poll found that the percentage of Americans believing marijuana should be legal rose from 36% in 2005 to 64% currently, Enten said. Among adults under the age of 35, 72% support legalizing marijuana and 49% have reported using it, according to the Gallup poll.

Studies have shown that marijuana use can have several negative health effects, including heart attacks and strokes. A study from May 2023 analyzing data from almost 7 million Danish men and women over nearly three decades found evidence that cannabis use among young men may put them at a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. Another research paper from that year found that older Americans with cardiovascular risk factors were at a 20% increased risk of “a major heart or brain event while hospitalized” from marijuana usage.

Two studies have also found that cannabis users under the age of 50 are six times more likely to suffer a heart attack compared to non-users, according to the American College of Cardiology.

Advocates for marijuana counter that cannabis is less toxic or addictive than alcohol and that it provides medical benefits for conditions like anxiety and chronic pain.