Recreational Marijuana Bill Introduced in Pennsylvania

Recreational cannabis could soon be coming to the Keystone State. That’s if Pennsylvania lawmakers Daylin Leach and Sharif Street can muster enough support for their latest proposal. The state senators introduced Senate Bill 350 on Oct. 15. The bill would allow for both home delivery and the automatic expungement of many previous criminal convictions related to marijuana. The bill’s supporters estimate it will generate $500 million in tax revenue within 12 months.

Gov. Tom Wolf recently changed his position, announcing he now supports legalization. Just days after the bill was introduced, Wolf met with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (New York), Gov. Phil Murphy (New Jersey), and Gov. Ned Lamont (Connecticut) to discuss coordinating marijuana across the Northeast.

“We need regulation, we need to make sure we’re protecting public health, public safety. But that’s regulation, not prohibition,” Wolf said. “It’s also really important that we work together as a region to make sure that we’re on the same page.”

In contrast to the approach of many other states, Senate Bill 350 contains a provision allowing homegrower permits for personal use. The bill also envisions “use lounges” where individuals can legally consume marijuana brought from outside the establishment. [Read more at The Legal Intelligencer]