Pennsylvania House introduces bill to legalize marijuana

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — A new bipartisan bill introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is looking to legalize marijuana in the Commonwealth.

The bill , introduced by Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne County) and Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny), said that it is time for Pennsylvania to move in the direction that many of its neighboring states have.

Specifically, legislators wrote that the bill:

• Establishes parameters for an adult-use program under the Department of Agriculture
• Creates guardrails around the licensed sale and legal use of cannabis that will help eradicate the illicit market
• Provides support for small businesses to participate in the market, prioritizing rural, minority, female, and veteran-owned businesses in particular
• Establishes robust guidelines for the labeling, packaging, and advertising of products to ensure that products are not marketed to children and adolescents
• Implements a “clean slate” policy and criminal justice reforms for residents with cannabis-related convictions
• Provides funding and support for law enforcement to enforce cannabis regulations
• Provides funding for local municipalities with cannabis businesses
• Leverages our agricultural infrastructure and supports local farmers
• Generates new revenue for the state and creates jobs

This is not the first bill that has been introduced in the Pa. House that looked to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. Governor Josh Shapiro made it clear in his 2024 Budget Address that he felt it was time for the Commonwealth to legalize marijuana.

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Shapiro said that marijuana should be “regulated and taxed responsibly” in Pennsylvania. He added that the Commonwealth could benefit from increasing jobs and investing in the “communities that have been disproportionately harmed by criminalization.”

Kaufer and Kinkead finished their bill by saying they hope that the legislation will act as a strong starting point for discussions around legalizing adult-use cannabis in a “thoughtful and strategic way.”

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