The Republican Pennsylvania Senator who is behind the bipartisan bill on marijuana legalization that was recently introduced says its supporters “are picking up votes” in order to pass it this legislative session.
According to an interview conducted by FOX43 on Wednesday with Sen. Dan Laughlin, (R), the support of Republicans is rising because people “would rather have a Republican government.” [legalize cannabis] “Rather than increase taxes to balance the budget, a legal market for marijuana would bring in more revenue to the state.”
“We ignore the fact that cannabis is already being used by many people,” said he. “I believe that it should be legalized and made safe. [and] We should try to keep the product out of reach of children. The state must have the money.”
Laughlin and Sen. Sharif Street, both Democrats, introduced legislation that would legalize adult cannabis use. Both have been championing the reform for years, but their efforts are always stalled.
The House passed a bill this year that created state-run stores for cannabis, but the Senate quickly overturned it. Several alternative measures are being considered in the state legislature. One of them is the bill from Laughlin & Street.
Rep. Amen BROWN (D), has put forth a House-companion version of this legislation. He said that it reflects the “strong support” of Pennsylvanians from rural, suburbia, and urban areas.
Laughlin’s part said the House companion would accomplish “two things”: it would prove that the House had the capability to adopt our language. And, the House companion will also give him the chance to talk to the Senate and governor to see if a revenue increase from cannabis is preferable to a tax hike to balance the federal budget.
“I firmly believe that if the House passes our language, that we have a path to get this done,” he said.
Emily Kinkead and Abby Major filed a bipartisan marijuana reform bill on Monday.
Separately, Laughlin and 16 other lawmakers recently filed a separate bill to create a new regulatory body in the state that would begin overseeing medical cannabis while preparing to eventually handle the adult-use market as well.
Laughlin previewed the measure in May, writing that Pennsylvania should first take steps to make sure the state is “ready to act when legalization becomes law” by establishing a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) now.
Street, who is also one of the original cosponsors of the bill, said recently that he was working with bipartisan and bicameral lawmakers to develop a passable marijuana legalization measure as the legislature approached a budget deadline—telling supporters at the time that “we’re getting close” and they shouldn’t “ease up” on the fight.
He said, “There are a few basic things we must do.” When we pass an adult recreational use bill, we need to ensure that all the people with cannabis convictions from the past are sealed and erased.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R) previewed that marijuana legalization would not be included in the 2026 budget as lawmakers approached the deadline he expected they would miss. Before the deadline passed, Gov. Josh Shapiro(D) expressed the hope that negotiations can be “achieved.”
“We’ve had really good, honest dialogue about it,” the governor, who separately criticized the Senate for abruptly derailing the House marijuana legalization bill, said.
He said, “I think it’s a matter of competition.” West Virginia was the only exception. “Every other state has done this, except for us.” You go visit some of these dispensaries along our border—in this case with Maryland, [that] It is the nearest one. “Sixty-five percent of people who walk into these dispensaries come from Pennsylvania.”
Also, in May, Sen. Marty Flynn (D) announced his intent to file a new bill to legalize marijuana in the state, calling on colleagues to join him on the measure.
Street expressed his “cautionary optimism” about the possibility of reviving the House legislation Krajewski co-sponsored with Rep. Dan Frankel, (D), after it was expeditedly passed through the House according to party lines. Street added that they are working on a product which will allow them to put a bill before the governor and generate revenue.
Following the Senate committee vote, lawmakers from both chambers who support legalization have been trading criticisms about each other’s roles in the stalled push to end prohibition.
Krajewski, for example, recently wrote in a MEDCAN24 op-ed that Senate Republicans who killed his House-passed cannabis legalization bill are “stuck in their prohibitionist views of the past” and are “out of touch with the will of our Commonwealth.”
Prior to that vote, Pennsylvania’s Republican attorney general said that while he doesn’t currently support the House-passed marijuana legalization bill, he’s open to changing his mind about the policy change after continuing to review the details.
For what it’s worth, a recent poll found that Pennsylvania voters say they favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses, rather than through a system of state-run stores.
Governor has repeatedly called for legalizing marijuana use by adults. He has not endorsed a specific state-controlled marijuana model.
GOP lawmaker Major—who is sponsoring another forthcoming legalization bill that envisions a traditional private sales model alongside Democrat Kinkead—said during the House floor debate on HB 1200 that she stands opposed to the competing bill, emphasizing that she disagrees with the state-run stores proposal.
To effect change, Democrats will need to work with the GOP controlled Senate even though they control the House of Representatives and the Governor’s office. In addition to conflicting viewpoints among pro-legalization lawmakers, this political dynamic could be another barrier to reform.
Regardless of which direction Pennsylvania lawmakers do—or don’t—go on marijuana legalization this session, a survey released in April shows a majority of adults in the state support the reform—and opposition to the policy change has fallen by nearly 50 percent over the last decade.
Kinkead has made the case in another recent interview that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania will help the state mitigate public health and safety concerns associated with the illicit market, including the fact that unregulated products can be laced with fentanyl.
The lawmaker previously introduced a separate bipartisan marijuana legalization bill, alongside 15 other cosponsors, last September. The bill did not progress, though.
Meanwhile, Laughlin recently called for the creation of a state “legacy” fund, using tax revenue from adult-use marijuana sales and gaming to make long-term investments in the Commonwealth’s economy.
Senator argued, that the state, in addition to using tax revenues to finance day-today public projects, should also set aside a part of these tax dollars to create a “sustainable source of prosperity” that would last for many generations.
Another GOP Pennsylvania senator, Sen. Gene Yaw (R), is backing the push to legalize marijuana in the commonwealth, pointing out that, historically, prohibition “has not turned out well,” noting the country’s experience with alcohol criminalization.
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) recently said that Democrats are ready to pass a marijuana legalization bill this session, but that the party “will need Republican support” to get the job done—adding that it will be a “heavy lift.”
The reform is stalled at the state legislature largely due to GOP opposition. But not all Republican members are against the policy change—and one recently said she felt her party should seize the “opportunity to snatch” the issue from Democrats.
Separately in March, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill sponsored by Frankel that’s meant to strengthen safety standards and oversight of the state’s medical marijuana program as lawmakers work to advance adult-use legalization.
Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program has been in place for nearly 10 years. However, legislators say that the bill, now headed to the Senate to be voted on, will improve compliance with testing, audits of products, and laboratory inspections amongst other industry aspects.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would allow farmers and other small agriculture operators to sell marijuana they cultivate to existing growers and and processors if the state moves to legalize adult-use cannabis.
Separately, an independent Pennsylvania agency is projecting more tax dollars to be generated from adult-use marijuana sales compared to what the governor’s office has estimated, although it expects significantly less overall revenue from cannabis legalization due to differing views on licensing fees.
Pennsylvania officials launched an online survey asking legal marijuana companies across the nation to submit information about their businesses. The aim is to better help Pennsylvania understand the cannabis business as it considers adult use legalization in this session.
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Also, in a video interview released in March, the governor emphasized that the state is “losing out” to others that have already enacted adult-use legalization, while maintaining a policy that’s enriched the illicit market.
I think this is a matter of liberty and freedom. “I mean, people should be allowed to smoke in a legal and safe way,” said he. “We should shut down the black market—and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians drive to other states, and pay taxes there.
The state’s agriculture secretary separately told lawmakers that he’s fully confident that his department is in a “really good” position to oversee an adult-use marijuana program if lawmakers act.
Meanwhile, in February, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization if the legislature moves forward with the reform—and that they stand ready to work together as the details of legislation to achieve it are crafted.
Amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania, a GOP state senator said prohibition has been a “disaster,” and a regulated sales model for cannabis—similar to how alcohol and tobacco are handled—could serve as an effective alternative.
A Republican Pennsylvania senator also recently defended the push to legalize and regulate marijuana, calling it “the most conservative stance” on the issue.
Philip Steffan provided the photo.
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