Pennsylvania Passes Bill to Legalize Dispensary Sales
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has given its final approval to a bill that would legalize marijuana through a system of state-owned dispensaries. The bill is now on its way to the GOP-controlled Senate.
Sponsored by Reps. Rick Krajewski (D) and Dan Frankel (D), House Bill 1200 would allow:
Adults 21 and older would be able to legally possess and buy cannabis from stores licensed and operated by the Liquor Control Board (LCB)
Restrict cannabis shops to sell no more than 42.5 grams of marijuana to an adult within a 24-hour period
Restrict cannabis flower to contain no more than 25% THC, and edibles would be limited to five milligrams of THC per serving, with a maximum 25 milligrams total
Allow adults to obtain a home cultivation permit from LCB at a cost of $100 annually, in which they would be able to grow up to two mature and two immature plants in a secure location at their residence for personal use
Subject marijuana products sold at licensed shops to a 12% excise tax, which would then be deposited in a Cannabis Revenue Fund, managed by the Department of Revenue (DOR). That fund would be used to cover administrative costs within the various departments that have a hand in regulating the cannabis program
The bill also contains rules around policies related to cannabis advertising, packaging and labeling—as well as requirements for businesses around ownership and a mandate to have a labor peace agreement in place for workers, according to Marijuana Moment.
A Dizzying Legislative Process
Introduced on Sunday, May 4th, the measure has since moved through two committees, received initial approval from the full chamber on May 6th and has now cleared the House on third reading in a 102-101 vote on May 7th.
“After chairing six Health Committee hearings—meeting with stakeholders from industry, labor, social equity, criminal justice reform and more—I am proud and honored to be able to introduce legislation that I believe creates a balanced, responsible and robust framework,” Krajewski said on the floor during a live session.
“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,” he continued. “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.”
What Happens Next?
House Bill 1200 is now on its way to the GOP-controlled Senate. While there’s a competing bipartisan legalization measure that’s expected to be unveiled soon, this one already has 27 House Democrats signed on as cosponsors to the Krajewski-Frankel bill, according to Marijuana Moment. That’s more than one-fourth of the party’s caucus in the chamber.
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