A majority of Pennsylvanians support adult-use marijuana, and while it’s been legal for medical users since 2016, many lawmakers in the state believe that access should be extended to all adults. In May, HB 1200—the Cannabis Health and Safety Act—was approved by the House, a historic step towards legalization in Pennsylvania. Yesterday, SB 120 (the House bill’s corollary) was officially filed, bringing the reality of legal weed in the state closer.
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SB 120, circulated by Republican Senator Daniel Laughlin and Democratic Senator Sharif Street, marks a significant bipartisan effort to legalize cannabis in Pennsylvania. In the memo that accompanies the bill, the senators say that “legalization…helps strengthen the state’s marijuana infrastructure, ensuring that both medical and adult-use programs can operate safely and efficiently.” The two also emphasized the importance of keeping the plant out of children’s hands while still expanding access.
SB 120 will also establish the Cannabis Control Board and the Cannabis Regulation Fund, as well as include criminal justice reform efforts that will uplift communities affected by former restrictive laws.
“It includes expungement of low-level offenses, creates real opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses, and reinvests in neighborhoods most harmed by past enforcement,” said Laughlin in a recent press release.
Community activists are ecstatic about the filing of SB 120—Meredith Buetter Schenider, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition (PCC) said that “these proposals are poised to create thousands of jobs, generate significant tax revenue, and reinvest in Pennsylvania’s small businesses, farming communities, law enforcement, and other critical public needs.”
The bill’s bipartisan nature might be the key to its passage. Democrats control Pennsylvania’s House and governor’s office, but they still need the approval of its Republican Senate to officially legalize cannabis in the state. A multitude of Pennsylvanian representatives and senators from across the political spectrum have introduced their own versions of legalization efforts, and while there has been some infighting, Republican support is nowhere near unrealistic.
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With a majority of the state’s residents supporting the cause and a viable bipartisan effort, legalization may be coming to Pennsylvania soon. This bill is the latest in a series of marijuana-related legislation introduced around the country that shows that the plant has allies with all sorts of politics, a good sign for the future of the weed world.