Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Two Pennsylvania House members, Democrat Representative Emily Kinkead and Republican Representative Abby Major, have introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. The legislation aims to create a stable and regulated cannabis market that prioritizes public safety, public health, and social justice, while also promoting economic opportunities.
According to Kinkead, the bill would generate over 30,000 new jobs and create a new revenue stream for the state. She emphasized that by failing to legalize marijuana, Pennsylvania is losing millions of dollars in revenue and perpetuating generations of injustice in communities disproportionately affected by the criminalization of recreational cannabis.
The bill, House Bill 20, includes several key provisions, including:
* Oversight by an independent commission to ensure transparent and accountable cannabis regulation
* Regulations to eliminate the illicit cannabis market and safeguard consumers
* Justice reform through a “clean slate” policy for individuals with previous cannabis-related convictions
* Opportunities for inclusive economic growth, benefiting small businesses, including rural, minority, female, and veteran-owned enterprises
* Consumer safety measures for labeling, packaging, and advertising to prevent targeting of children
* Funding for law enforcement and local municipalities hosting cannabis businesses
This bipartisan legislation comes nine years after Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana. Currently, 24 states, including most of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states, have legalized recreational adult-use marijuana.
