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Bipartisan Pennsylvania lawmakers are asking their colleagues to join them on a forthcoming bill to legalize marijuana for adult use in the state.<\/p>\n
In a cosponsorship memo that was circulated on Monday, Reps. Emily Kinkead (D) and Abby Major (R) touted the state\u2019s \u201crobust\u201d medical cannabis program\u2014but pointed out that \u201call but one of our neighboring states have legalized recreational adult-use cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n
That includes Ohio, the lawmakers noted, where a voter-approved legalization law has led to a flourishing of cannabis retailers, including many along their shared border.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is well past time for Pennsylvania to move in a similar direction, and our proposed legislation represents a bipartisan path to legalize adult-use cannabis, establishing strong tenets for an adult-use market,\u201d they said. \u201cAnd perhaps most importantly, this bill is not just about legalization, it\u2019s about setting up a stable, well-regulated market that prioritizes public safety and public health, protects children from exposure, promotes social justice, and fosters economic opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Enacting adult-use legalization in the commonwealth \u201cwould not only boost local economies and create upwards of 30,000 new jobs, but also create a new revenue stream for our state, allowing us to reinvest in essential services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure,\u201d the memo says.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoreover, this bill ends the blanket criminalization of marijuana users, particularly in communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis-related arrests, while providing a robust pathway for those individuals and communities to participate in and benefit from the legal market,\u201d the bipartisan lawmakers wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cLegalizing marijuana within this framework allows the industry to be regulated, ensuring that products are tested for safety, purity, and potency. Legalization provides an opportunity to implement public health education, prevent misuse through responsible marketing and regulation, and ensure that marketing efforts are designed to avoid targeting children, with strict age verification measures in place. As we are seeing more synthetic Delta variant products marketed to children every day with no idea regarding the contents, this regulation is imperative.\u201d<\/p>\n
The text of the legislation isn\u2019t available yet, but the sponsors described core pillars of the proposal they plan to introduce.<\/p>\n
The intent of the measure, they said, is to mitigate the illicit marketplace, provide relief for those who\u2019ve been impacted by criminalization, develop an inclusive industry, support job creation, bolster the state\u2019s agriculture economy and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis bipartisan legislation reflects strong support for legalization across the Commonwealth and the input of stakeholders at every level,\u201d the memo<\/a> says. \u201cPlease join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation as we work to move cannabis legalization forward in Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n Kinkead, the Democratic sponsor of the legislation, previously introduced a separate bipartisan marijuana legalization bill<\/a>, alongside 15 other cosponsors, last September. It did not advance, however.<\/p>\n Despite the bipartisan nature of the measure, it remains to be seen whether the legislature will actually move forward with any proposal to enact legalization\u2014including one put forward by Gov. Josh Shapiro (D)\u2014this session.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a Republican Pennsylvania senator recently called for the\u00a0creation of a state \u201clegacy\u201d fund, using tax revenue from adult-use marijuana sales<\/a>\u00a0and gaming to make long-term investments in the Commonwealth\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n The senator is making the case that, beyond using any resulting tax revenue to fund day-to-day projects and public services, the state should earmark a portion of those tax dollars for a fund to \u201cprovide a sustainable source of prosperity that lasts for generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) recently said that\u00a0Democrats are ready to pass a marijuana legalization bill this session<\/a>, but that the party \u201cwill need Republican support\u201d to get the job done\u2014adding that it will be a \u201cheavy lift.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Democratic lawmaker said legislature is \u201csubstantially closer\u201d to reaching a deal on marijuana legalization, and an initial\u00a0vote on a bipartisan cannabis reform bill could come as early as this month<\/a>.<\/p>\n Polls have shown bipartisan support for legalization among voters, but the reform has consistently stalled in the legislature, owing in large part to GOP opposition. But not all Republican members are against the policy change\u2014and one recently said she felt her party should\u00a0seize the \u201copportunity to snatch\u201d the issue from Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rep. Rick Krajewski (D)\u2014who announced in December\u00a0his intent to file a legalization measure<\/a>\u00a0alongside House Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel (D)\u2014also recently said the policy would provide for \u201cmore responsible usage\u201d of cannabis, compared to the status quo that\u2019s left adults either buying from the illicit market or traveling across state lines to get regulated products.<\/p>\n Separately last month, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill sponsored by Frankel that\u2019s meant to\u00a0strengthen safety standards and oversight of the state\u2019s medical marijuana program<\/a>\u00a0as lawmakers work to advance adult-use legalization.<\/p>\n While Pennsylvania\u2019s medical cannabis program was enacted nearly a decade ago, lawmakers say the measure, which now heads to the Senate, is necessary to improve testing compliance, product audits and lab inspections, among other aspects of the industry.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would allow farmers and other small agriculture operators to\u00a0sell marijuana they cultivate to existing growers and and processors<\/a>\u00a0if the state moves to legalize adult-use cannabis.<\/p>\n Separately, an independent Pennsylvania agency is projecting more tax dollars to be generated from adult-use marijuana sales<\/a> compared to what the governor\u2019s office has estimated, although it expects significantly less overall revenue from cannabis legalization due to differing views on licensing fees.<\/p>\n \u2014 Also, in a video interview released last month, the governor emphasized that\u00a0the state is \u201closing out\u201d to others that have already enacted adult-use legalization<\/a>, while maintaining a policy that\u2019s enriched the illicit market.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s an issue of freedom and liberty. I mean, if folks want to smoke, they should be able to do so in a safe and legal way,\u201d he said. \u201cWe should shut down the black market\u2014and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians are driving to those other states and paying taxes in those other states.\u201d<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s Republican attorney general recently said\u00a0he wants to be a \u201cvoice for potential public safety risks\u201d<\/a>\u00a0of enacting the governor\u2019s proposal\u2014though he said his office would be ready to enforce the new law if lawmakers did vote to pass it.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s agriculture secretary separately told lawmakers that he\u2019s fully confident that his department is in a\u00a0\u201creally good\u201d position to oversee an adult-use marijuana program<\/a>\u00a0if lawmakers act.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in February, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers\u00a0they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization<\/a>\u00a0if the legislature moves forward with the reform\u2014and that they stand ready to work together as the details of legislation to achieve it are crafted.<\/p>\n Amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania,\u00a0a GOP state senator said prohibition has been a \u201cdisaster,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and a regulated sales model for cannabis\u2014similar to how alcohol and tobacco are handled\u2014could serve as an effective alternative.<\/p>\n A Republican Pennsylvania senator also recently\u00a0defended the push to legalize and regulate marijuana<\/a>, calling it \u201cthe most conservative stance\u201d on the issue.<\/p>\n Separately, a recent poll shows that Pennsylvania voters say they\u00a0favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses<\/a>, rather than through a system of state-run stores as some legislators have promoted.<\/p>\n Florida Lawmakers Unanimously Approve Bill To Make Medical Marijuana Cards Free For Military Veterans<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Bipartisan Pennsylvania Lawmakers Announce New Plan To Legalize Marijuana This Year<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Bipartisan Pennsylvania lawmakers are asking their colleagues to join them on a forthcoming bill to legalize marijuana for adult use in the state. In a cosponsorship memo that was circulated on Monday, Reps. Emily Kinkead (D) and Abby Major (R) touted the state\u2019s \u201crobust\u201d medical cannabis program\u2014but pointed out thatContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":80918,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80917"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80917"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80919,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80917\/revisions\/80919"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: Bipartisan Pennsylvania Lawmakers Announce New Plan To Legalize Marijuana This Year<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"