Pennsylvania state senators announced Friday they will draft a bill to legalize adults’ recreational use of marijuana.
In a memorandum asking colleagues to join their effort, Senators Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) and Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) cited CBS News polling suggesting two-thirds of Keystone Staters from varied communities back legal cannabis intake. The senators suggested making pot licit could boost the commonwealth’s agriculture industry and generate scads of new tax revenue. They mentioned 2021 testimony by the state’s nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office averring that legal adult consumption could bring between $400 million to $1 billion into the state Treasury annually.
“Legalized adult use of marijuana is supported by an overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians and this legislation accomplishes that while also ensuring safety and social equity,” Laughlin (pictured above, right) said in a statement. “With neighboring states New Jersey and New York implementing adult use, we have a duty to Pennsylvania taxpayers to legalize adult use marijuana to avoid losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars of new tax revenue and thousands of new jobs.”
He and Street (pictured above, left) said their measure would set the minimum usage age at 21 and create sufficient deterrents to underage consumption. They promised the bill would include workplace requirements regarding intake and would equip law enforcers to pursue those who drive under the influence or peddle marijuana outside the confines of the law.
Following the policies of other legalizing states like New York, Laughlin and Street said their policy would encompass “social and economic equity” whereby communities“disproportionally impacted” by past prohibition would gain priority for licensing opportunities. The senators furthermore said their bill would facilitate expungement of all non-violent weed convictions.
“We have a unique and singular opportunity to correct decades of mass incarceration, disproportionate enforcement against marginalized communities, the criminalization of personal choice and the perpetuation of violence, which all materialized from the failed war on drugs,” Street said. “Legalizing the adult use of cannabis will help us fully and equitably fund education, lower property taxes, and address a variety of community needs throughout Pennsylvania.”
Laughlin introduced a similar bill last session but garnered no other Republican sponsors. The legislation was referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee but received no vote.
While Pennsylvania lawmakers have been cautious in legalizing recreational cannabis, they overwhelmingly approved the substance’s medical use in 2016. The Republican-led Senate backed medical marijuana 42-7 and the then-GOP-controlled House voted 149-46 in favor. Democratic Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill and now over 161 dispensaries operate in the commonwealth.
Current Democratic governor and former state Attorney General Josh Shapiro began publicly supporting recreational weed legalization since 2019, saying he bases that position on “discussions with fellow law enforcement.” In March, the governor unveiled a budget proposal that contains a plan to tax the sale of non-medical cannabis at 20 percent.
After Shapiro announced his budget plan, the nonprofit Pennsylvania Family Institute denounced the marijuana component.
“…Governor Shapiro wants to add the reliance on tax revenue from marijuana for the state budget – encouraging political gain from more users and more addiction? That’s negligence in some of its worst forms,” PA Family stated. “A plan like this is praised by the marijuana industry – including Big Tobacco, as well as the black market for such a high tax rate. But it’s children and families that will suffer the consequences should it pass into law.”
Among Pennsylvania’s bordering states, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York have legalized recreational pot use while Ohio and Virginia have not. Altogether, 22 states and the District of Columbia allow adults to use the substance while Minnesota is about to become the 23rd state to do so, as lawmakers passed a bill last week and Governor Tim Walz (D) vowed to sign it.
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Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Senator Dan Laughlin” by Senator Dan Laughlin. Photo “Sharif Street” by Senator Sharif Street. Background Photo “Cannabis Greenhouse” by CRYSTALWEED cannabis.
