Pennsylvania State Leaders Make Their Case For Legal Cannabis

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman called on the state General Assembly to legalize marijuana on Thursday, arguing that taxes levied on commercial cannabis sales could help the state recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wolf initially outlined his recreational marijuana legalization plan in a legislative agenda released last week.

“Legalization of adult-use cannabis will provide a new revenue stream to direct toward economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling additional funding for grants for historically disadvantaged businesses. Legalization will also create more outlets for important restorative justice programs in the commonwealth,” Wolf’s office said in a statement.

Fetterman noted that money is already being spent on cannabis in Pennsylvania but none of it is going to the state in the form of taxes.