The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took a historic step this week by giving initial approval to an adult-use cannabis legalization bill that proposes a state-run retail model. The bill advanced quickly through the House Health Committee and passed a floor vote a narrow 102-101 decision along party lines. All Democratic lawmakers voted in favor, while all Republicans opposed.
The legislation would legalize cannabis possession and use for adults 21 and older and create a regulated market for cultivation and distribution. Retail sales would be taxed at 12%, with dispensaries operated directly by the state. However, cultivation, processing, transporting, and consumption lounges could be privately owned. Adults would also be permitted to grow cannabis at home with a $100 annual permit.
Oversight of the industry would fall to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The bill also includes THC limits for both cannabis flower and edible products, signaling a controlled approach to product potency.
Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R), a Health Committee member, criticized the process, saying, “It’s no secret that I stand in opposition to broadly legalized adult-use marijuana — but frankly, I’m appalled by the manner in which it’s being rammed through the committee and the legislature.”
Bill co-sponsor and Health Committee Chair Rep. Dan Frankel (D) defended the bill’s development, stating, “This has been a transparent process… My door has been open to all those stakeholders on an ongoing basis for the past two years.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro has voiced his support for cannabis legalization, and most of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states have already implemented adult-use policies. A fiscal analysis last year estimated the Keystone State could generate over $1 billion in cannabis tax revenue within the first five years of legal sales.
The House is expected to vote again on the proposal soon. If passed, the bill will head to the state Senate for further consideration.
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