Pennsylvania Set to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
Move to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis in Pennsylvania Could Bring in $1 Billion US in Tax Revenue – LPC
Two bipartisan senators in Pennsylvania introduced a bill on Wednesday to legalize adult-use cannabis. State senators Shari Street (D-Philadelphia) and Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) propose legal-use cannabis for adults 21 and older as well as decriminalize a to-be-determined amount of cannabis. It would also allow “limited” homegrown cannabis – probably similar to Canada’s limits on homegrown cannabis.
“As the marijuana movement reaches Pennsylvania, legalization must be done the right way,” Laughlin said. “This bill ensures a legalized market in the Commonwealth is implemented safely and responsibly.”
If the bill passes, it would make Pennsylvania the largest state on the East Coast to legalize adult-use cannabis. Right now New Jersey holds that distinction. It was one of three states that legalized recreational cannabis in November 2020.
It isn’t a done deal yet since Republicans still have a majority of seats in both state legislatures. But since Biden won the presidency – including a narrow win in Pennsylvania – the political climate has changed. Past polling shows that about 60 per cent of the population supports a move to legalize adult-use cannabis. Further, both Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman have said they want legalization.
The Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis Movement Has a Social Conscious in Pennsylvania
That makes the way Pennsylvania’s lawmakers want to legalize adult-use cannabis all the more surprising. The bill recognizes that cannabis legalization in other jurisdictions has led to de-facto segregation. Cannabis and racism is a problem on both sides of the border. So is inclusivity in the cannabis industry. From the start, First Nations in Canada have felt left behind from creating cannabis rules.
Rep. Street said that their bill would make Pennsylvania “the most diverse and inclusive in the country”. It would also enable “those who have been harmed by prohibition to seal their records and rebuild their lives.” Rep. Laughlin – a Republican – himself said that government must have “a thoughtful approach that provides opportunities to medical and recreational consumers, farmers, and small, medium and minority-owned businesses.”
The bill specifically sets aside retail cannabis business licences for minorities as well as those affected by drugs. (The full Forbes article – link below – refers to the “victims of the drug war”.) It also automatically expunges the records for past non-violent cannabis convictions. This is similar to a move Illinois made in January 2021 when it expunged cannabis records of 500,000 people. Canada, by comparison, has sorely lagged behind when it comes to cannabis expungements.
The Economics of Legalization
Of course, as it often does, economics is an important consideration when it comes to the decision to legalize adult-use cannabis. In Pennsylvania, the estimate is $1 billion US in additional tax revenue. The medical cannabis market, which is already legal in Pennsylvania, was worth an estimated $500 million US in 2020 and could double to $1 billion by 2023.
Pennsylvania already has a thriving medical cannabis market and a burgeoning hemp industry. Sales of medical marijuana were projected to reach $500 million in 2020, and could double to $1 billion by 2023, according to Marijuana Business Daily.
If the move to legalize adult-use cannabis succeeds in Pennsylvania, it will be a watershed moment for the US. It is a relatively moderate though right-leaning state. Even the larger, more progressive state of New York has not legalized cannabis. If legalization there is inevitable, as many think it is, then full federal cannabis legalization can’t be too far behind.
Click here to view full story at www.forbes.com
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