Pennsylvania's Legal Cannabis: Should Public Or Private Companies Be The Ones To Sell It?

Although a measure to legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania has a chance to pass the state Legislature, lawmakers said they first need to discuss which system (private or state-run) would be more appropriate to commercialize cannabis statewide, per a local news outlet.

What Happened

Last week, PA Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) proposed legalizing and taxing recreational cannabis as part of his 2023-2024 budget request. The government budget, an estimated $188 million in annual cannabis revenue by 2028, proposes to impose a 20 percent tax “on the wholesale price of [cannabis] products sold through the regulated framework of the production and sales system, once legalized.”

However, those who oppose legalization harshly criticized the governor's proposal. “There’s no amount of tax revenue from marijuana that can justify sacrificing the safety and well-being of our young people,” said Judge Cheryl Allen, of Counsel for the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Advocates argue that legalizing cannabis would increase safety by placing it under government regulation thereby ensuring the state, rather than drug cartels, will benefit financially. “It’s been a huge cash crop for the drug cartels,” State Senator Mike Regan (R) said. “The only thing it really would be changing is the profits would be going to the state as opposed to the bad guys.”

About The Measure

Bill HB1180, sponsored by Rep. David M. Delloso points out that allowing private sales of cannabis will enable large corporations to take over the industry, putting profits before the well-being of communities.

The measure seeks to sell legal weed in PA liquor stores to adults over 21. “Using the existing state store system will not only ensure the safety and integrity of cannabis sales in the Commonwealth but also will prevent large, out-of-state corporations from dominating the industry,” said State Sen. Marty Flynn (D).

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Photo: Courtesy Of Katherine McAdoo On Unsplash