Pennsylvania House Passes Recreational Cannabis Legalization Bill
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives this week approved legislation to legalize recreational cannabis, nine years after the state legalized medical marijuana. The bill, known as the Cannabis Health and Safety Act (HB 1200), was approved by the House on Wednesday by a vote of 102-101.
If approved by the Pennsylvania Senate and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, the bill would legalize the use of cannabis for adults age 21 and older. The legislation would also legalize sales of recreational marijuana through state-run cannabis dispensaries, a provision not seen in other states that have legalized the drug for use by adults.
HB 1200 was introduced on Sunday by Democratic Reps. Rick Krajewski and Dan Frankel. The legislation was then quickly approved by two House legislative committees and was approved on first reading by the full chamber on Tuesday. House lawmakers approved the measure again on third reading on Wednesday, sending it to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration, Marijuana Moment reported this week.
The bill would decriminalize cannabis possession until regulated sales of recreational marijuana begin. During that time, possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis would be punishable as a summary offense, carrying a fine of up to $250. Once regulated sales begin, adults would be permitted to possess just over 42 grams of marijuana (about 1.5 ounces) and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrates without penalty. The legislation also includes provisions for limited home cannabis cultivation by adults who pay a fee of $100 per year.
'The reality is criminalization of cannabis does not work. It does not deter usage, it does not promote safety, and it is not in the best interest of our commonwealth,' Krajewski told his colleagues on the House floor. 'With legalization, we have the opportunity to rein in a market that is completely deregulated in terms of potency, content. labeling or advertising. We can promote public health, while also bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars that can be directed to communities hit the hardest by past criminalization.'
Acknowledging that Pennsylvania 'is late to the game in terms of legalizing cannabis,' Krajewski said the delay has allowed lawmakers the chance to see what has worked in other states that have legalized recreational marijuana. He added that HB 1200 features a 'hybrid' regulatory model that provides for cannabis production to be carried out by private companies while retail sales would be restricted to state-run dispensaries operated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Krajewski characterized the model as a 'bold new approach' that will bring economic benefits to the state while avoiding the 'naked greed' of large cannabis businesses seen in other states.
'Massive multi-state cannabis companies have leveraged their existing medical and recreational footprints to control entire swaths of newly emerging recreational markets,' he said.
Pennsylvania State capitol building in Harrisburg.
LightRocket via Getty Images
'Where states have tried to level the playing field of social equity guidelines, those states have been terrorized with industry lawsuits,' Krajewski continued. 'This naked greed has led to near impossible conditions for small entrepreneurs to successfully compete in cannabis, enterprising business owners—many of whom are formerly incarcerated due to cannabis related offenses—were sold a fake gold rush dream by predatory investors when social equity businesses failed due to the volatility of a new market and aggressive multi-state operators, private equity was ready to swoop in and seize the remains.'
Not all cannabis reform advocates, however, are sold on the concept of state-run weed shops.
'There are many provisions in this bill that we commend. It would stop criminalizing people for using cannabis and prevent families from being torn apart and lives being ruined because adults choose to relax with cannabis,' Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement from the cannabis policy reform group. 'However, we have serious concerns about the viability of a state-run stores model due to federal law. No other state operates cannabis businesses this way, and for good reason. State cannabis laws must be carefully crafted to ensure they are workable in the face of federal prohibition.'
To become law, HB 1200 must be approved by the Republican-led Pennsylvania Senate. Although passage in the upper house of the Pennsylvania legislature may be a hard sell, GOP Sen. Gene Yaw told The Standard-Journal that prohibition 'has not turned out well' in American history.
'It makes sense that we regulate it the way we have done with alcohol and gambling, and tax it and do the best that we can in that regard,' Yaw said about cannabis. 'For us to bury our head in the sand and say that just because we have not legalized it that we are somehow preventing things like that from happening just makes no sense.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
20 minutes ago
- Fox News
Mayor of nation's 'best-run' city credits focus on responsible budgeting, public safety
The mayor of Provo, Utah, told Fox News Digital that Provo was ranked as the best-run city in a new survey because local government officials adhered to the fundamentals. "We've always believed in getting the basics right first and that's quality schools, safe neighborhoods, well-maintained roads and responsible budgeting," Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi told Fox News Digital after financial services company WalletHub touted her city this week. Kaufusi cited her work on public safety, noting it was a "top concern" for residents. "We're proud to boast that we have the fourth-lowest violent crime rate in the whole nation and the seventh-lowest property crime rate. And two years ago, we were voted the safest large city in the nation," Kaufusi said. "So all of those factors come into play. It seems to put the spotlight on us and that's what brings people to Provo. And we love it and [it] brings business and we're open for business. So we are really honored and really humbled that we got to be called out for this [honor] today." WalletHub attributed economic growth, low crime, low unemployment and clean roads to Provo's high ranking. The financial service added that Provo, which has more than 110,000 residents, also boasted the 22nd-best road quality in the country. WalletHub reported it measured the "effectiveness of local leadership" by "determining a city's operating efficiency." Each city was given a "Quality of Services" score based on 36 metrics that were grouped into six service categories, including financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure and pollution. These were measured against the city's per capita budget. The cities that ranked low on WalletHub's list had high crime rates, including San Francisco, which came in as the worst-run on the list of 148 cities. WalletHub writer and analyst Chip Lupo told Fox News Digital that "Provo is a great example of what can happen when city leaders listen to their residents." "The mayor mentioned that public safety is a top priority, and the results speak for themselves. Provo has some of the lowest violent and property crime rates in the country, and that was a key factor in Provo's ranking as the best-run city in our study," Lupo said. "Public safety is essentially the foundation for everything else in any city. When people feel safe, they're more likely to engage in their community, support local businesses, and take advantage of public services. Provo shows that you can prioritize safety and still manage your budget well. It's a great model for other cities looking to improve how they serve their residents."
Fox News
26 minutes ago
- Fox News
Has Kris Jenner found the fountain of youth? Experts weigh in on her stunning transformation
Kris Jenner — known as the "momager" of the Kardashian-Jenner empire — has made headlines in recent weeks for her more youthful appearance, sparking rumors of a possible deep plane facelift. A representative for Jenner confirmed to another outlet that Dr. Steven Levine of New York City performed Jenner's recent work, but did not specify the type of procedure. (Fox News Digital reached out to Levine and Jenner for comment.) Dr. Patrick Davis, a Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon, said that Jenner appears "youthful and natural," which is the hallmark of a "well-performed procedure." "It is difficult to comment specifically on what technique was performed, though in some fashion, the structural elements of her face were lifted to reset her skin tissues," Davis, who has not treated Jenner, hypothesized in an interview with Fox News Digital. "She has a healthy-looking distribution of fat contributing to this new look, which could potentially be the effect of a fat transfer in addition to a facelift." Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a board-certified plastic surgeon with Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery in San Francisco, agreed that Jenner has gotten an "incredible result" from what "appears to be" a deep plane facelift. With a standard or traditional facelift — also known as a SMAS facelift, or a Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System facelift — the surgeon makes incisions behind the hairline and around the front of the ear, lifting and tightening the deeper tissues and muscles and then removing excess skin. This can eliminate wrinkles, sagging skin and the "jowl-like" effect, achieving a more youthful contour of the face and neck, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Davis said most of his education and training has focused on deep plane facelifts. "A deep plane facelift involves a wider dissection under the structural elements of the face, which then allows the surgeon to reset a greater proportion of facial tissues," Davis said. "The benefit of this technique is that a more natural, vertical reset can be achieved — and more importantly, the tissues re-attach themselves in a broader way, allowing for a more durable result." It's important to choose a facelift that is right for the patient and that falls within the surgeon's expertise, Davis noted. "In those patients who have had multiple facelifts in the past, it could be wise to perform a simpler SMAS facelift with less dissection, as the tissues have been manipulated in the past," he advised. Any elective or non-elective surgery carries some degree of risk, experts agree. "In any given surgery, there is a risk of infection, nerve damage, or bruising and swelling," Davis cautioned. "These are minimized based on the surgeon's experience and the frequency with which they perform the procedure." It is important that the surgeon goes over these risks with the patient in person, according to Davis. Because the deep plane technique involves a more extensive dissection of tissues under and around facial nerves, Kaplan cautioned that the biggest risk is facial paralysis, which can be temporary or permanent. "It's a newer variation that requires a greater understanding of the anatomy to be successful," he said. Davis tells his patients that a deep plane facelift has a typical recovery time of about six months for full results, though many can return to work and other functions within three to four weeks. "These procedures are not debilitating — however, there is some cosmetic downtime, which varies from patient to patient," he noted. In Kaplan's practice, he encourages most patients to be out and about two weeks after surgery. "They may still have some bruising, but it's typically in the lower neck or upper chest at that point and can be covered," he said. Various factors can affect a patient's recovery timeline, the experts say. Some, like genetics, can't be controlled. "Other things, however — like a low-salt diet, exercise, lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen treatments and keeping up with proper post-op care — are within our control," Davis said. Most surgeons will have the patient wear a head and neck compression garment for two weeks, Kaplan noted. "In general, the patient should not be in a great deal of pain — if they are, that can actually be a sign of a hematoma (bleeding under the skin)," he said. When opting for a facelift, it's important to choose a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who is specifically trained in facelifts of deep SMAS tissue, doctors agreed. Before undergoing a facelift, Davis emphasized the need for the patient to share as much detail as possible about his or her medical history, lifestyle and aesthetic goals. "When we have consultations with prospective clients, we want to know more about their diet, lifestyle, support system and any health conditions that may affect a surgery," he said. Kaplan noted that it's important to tell the surgeon if you're taking any GLP-1 weight-loss medications, as they may ask you to pause them a week prior to surgery. The most important things to ask a prospective surgeon, according to Davis, are where they put their incisions, how they close their incisions, details about their individual technique, and any information that provides better insight into their background, experience and frequency with which they perform that specific procedure. For more Health articles, visit "You want to find a surgeon who has extensive knowledge in facial plastic surgery and can provide their patients with tidy incisions that are well-hidden," he advised. "Most of all, it is important that you are comfortable with your surgeon, as they will not only be with you for the procedure, but will be by your side on the recovery journey."
Wall Street Journal
29 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
The Trump-Era Rollback of Transgender Rights Is Gaining Steam
Voters in at least 10 states have elected a transgender person to their legislature. A transgender man has argued a case before the Supreme Court. Last year, the first transgender woman was elected to Congress. Transgender people have become visible in ways that were unthinkable five years ago, a development that advocates thought would generate more societal acceptance. And yet, the political and legal tides are shifting in a different direction.
