Author: Brigitte S.

At a hearing held on Monday the Senate Law and Justice Committee heard from medical marijuana industry professionals and advocates, including patients, physicians, and former regulators from neighboring states, about the oversight of the Medical Marijuana Program and how a new, independent entity is needed, especially as Pennsylvania moves towards legalizing adult-use marijuana.

Chairman Mike Regan (R-31) said the committee’s third and final hearing on forming an adult-use market in Pennsylvania focuses on the successes and failures of the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana.

“I appreciate learning more about this, so that we can help Pennsylvania’s 600,000 medical cannabis patients and caregivers while also formulating an oversight structure for adult-use that will be well-regarded for its desire and ability to work with the industry and advocate for its success,” Regan said. “Legalization of adult-use cannabis is a complex and obviously, controversial issue, so we are grateful for the many perspectives, personal experiences, and opinions we have received.”

Hearing participants said Pennsylvania must update its program to better reflect emerging trends and understanding of how medical cannabis works best – from eliminating the list of approved medical conditions to solidifying regulations and to hiring more knowledgeable, communicative staff.

“It is clear that we cannot maintain the current oversight authority for an adult-use cannabis program,” Regan said. “Unless the Office of Medical Marijuana is going to take action to address some of the issues raised today, we need to act sooner rather than later to establish an adult-use program and a new regulatory agency.” 

CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, 717-787-8524

The Senate Law and Justice Committee convened Monday to discuss the successes and failures of adult-use marijuana programs in other states as Chairman Mike Regan (R-31) continues drafting similar legislation for Pennsylvania.

“I want to fully understand which states are models of success, which ones we should look to for guidance on specific aspects of establishing an adult-use cannabis program in Pennsylvania and which states have failed in one way or another,” Regan said. “It is not necessary for us to go about this blindly when 18 other states have navigated the process already.”

Participants pointed to Illinois and Arizona when considering how to help medical marijuana growers, processors and dispensaries transition into selling adult-use product as well. Michigan and Massachusetts were likewise recognized for their competitive tax structures that achieved both affordable pricing and shrinking the illicit market.

Regan reiterated that Pennsylvania’s program must also address DUI and workplace safety concerns and ensure that its medical program remains successful, while still providing opportunities for smaller and disadvantaged applicants to enter a new adult-use market.

“I am cognizant that the legalization of adult-use marijuana is concerning for many members, but as more surrounding states legalize marijuana, we cannot sit idly by,” he said.

As neighboring states adopt adult-use laws, residents may flock across Pennsylvania’s borders to buy product, taking their tax dollars with them. The Independent Fiscal Office has estimated that tax revenues from adult-use marijuana sales could generate between $400 million and $1 billion in Pennsylvania.

“In turn, they will be contributing to the tax base of those states and helping to pay for their roads and bridges while Pennsylvania deals with the implications of purchases brought across state lines without the revenue or resources in our legal system to address them,” Regan said.

CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, 717-787-8524

HARRISBURG – The Senate Law and Justice Committee on Monday heard from state and local officials, law enforcement and medical marijuana dispensaries about the impact regulating adult-use cannabis could have in Pennsylvania.

Chairman Mike Regan (R-31) convened the hearing to delve deeper into the public safety issues surrounding adult-use laws and noted that, in recent years, many law enforcement officials have opted against prosecuting small possession amounts in favor of tackling violent crimes and large-scale drug operations.

“Obviously, marijuana is not new,” Sen. Regan said. “It is already out there. It is already being used by millions of people – young and old, far and wide. But in doing so, they are putting billions of dollars into the hands of violent criminals, and they are risking consuming a product that could be laced with substances such as fentanyl, crack cocaine, embalming fluid or even mold, fungus, or other unknown pathogens.”

He reiterated that without legalization and regulation, the black market for marijuana will only proliferate.

“That is why my focus is on bringing down illegal drug operations, providing Pennsylvania adults with a safe product, and keeping revenue within the Commonwealth instead of it going to our neighboring states with legalized adult-use marijuana or worse – to organized criminals, gangs, and cartels,” said Sen. Regan.

The Independent Fiscal Office estimated that legalizing cannabis for adult-use could generate between $400 million and $1 billion in tax revenues the state could use to fund state police, crime prevention and after school programs for disadvantaged youth.

Regulating marijuana would not only improve quality, but also diminish the illicit market and give residents a way to legally and safely access the drug, said Philadelphia area state Rep. Amen Brown (D-190), who is working with Regan to solidify legislation on the issue.

District attorneys, meanwhile, told the committee that illegal drug sales, many of which include cannabis, are often prone to violence. They both cautioned, however, that “many issues” underly the spike in crime noted across the Commonwealth. Problems with DUI enforcement are also still a concern, as well as legalizing what’s been long suspected to be a “gateway drug.”

Medical marijuana dispensaries said regulating cannabis for widespread adult-use would help crack down on tainted products and give law enforcement a way to track bad actors.

Sen. Regan thanked the participants for their perspective on the issue and said the next committee hearing will focus on laws other states have enacted to permit adult-use.

“I believe my colleague Representative Amen Brown said it best recently that it is important for us to work with law enforcement on the issue of legalization to make sure we are not in conflict and to ensure the safety of officers and our communities,” Sen. Regan said. 

CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, 717-787-8524