Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are gearing up to reintroduce adult-use legalization legislation in the upcoming legislative session, aiming to bring sweeping changes to the state’s policies. The move follows a previous bipartisan effort that failed to pass during the last session.
State Rep. Dan Frankel (D) expressed the moral and practical imperatives driving the proposal. “We have a moral obligation to not only legalize but also to work to repair the damage caused by decades of marijuana arrests,” he told WGAL, emphasizing the potential public health benefits, taxpayer advantages, and opportunities to uplift communities disproportionately impacted by past prohibition policies.
State Rep. Rick Krajewski (D), who chaired multiple hearings on cannabis programs in other states, highlighted the valuable insights gained from those sessions. “We’ve heard from public health experts, criminal justice advocates, and social equity leaders. It’s time to move forward in Pennsylvania before we fall further behind,” he said.
Neighboring states such as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland have already legalized adult use, leaving Pennsylvania as one of the few holdouts in the region. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has also been a strong advocate for reform, including cannabis tax revenues in his budget proposal last year. Projections estimate the state could generate $14.8 million in tax revenue in the first year of sales, climbing to $230 million annually by the fourth year.
Despite broad support and evidence from other states, Pennsylvania’s last attempt to pass adult-use legalization stalled. Advocates hope that this session will finally bring meaningful reform to the Keystone State.
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