Are Pennsylvanians ready for the use of recreational marijuana?
Gov. Tom Wolf shared during a Twitter Q&A yesterday that he thinks it’s time to “take a serious and honest look at recreational marijuana.”
More and more states are successfully implementing marijuana legalization, and we need to keep learning from their efforts. Any change would take legislation. But I think it is time for Pennsylvania to take a serious and honest look at recreational marijuana. https://t.co/LHOmYKzMyp
— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) December 19, 2018
Up until this comment, Wolf has never embraced the discussion of fulling legalizing marijuana in the state until studying the experiences of other states that have legalized it.
In August, Wolf said in a KDKA interview that he believed that Pennsylvanians weren’t “ready” for the legalization of marijuana.
Lieutenant Governor-elect John Fetterman has advocated for legalizing marijuana for the past couple of years, which he even shared in this campaign video during his unsuccessful 2016 bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
In 2016, Wolf signed Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law, which passed with bipartisan support. While Wolf ran for Governor in 2014, he supported decriminalizing possession of small amounts according to the AP.
The AP also reports that “now, 10 states and the District of Columbia have approved recreational marijuana, including Michigan and Vermont this year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.”
In September of last year, a Franklin and Marshall College poll showed that 59% in the state surveyed supported the legalization of marijuana.
With Wolf set to begin his second term next month, will this be a priority?
According to the Allentown Morning Call’s Steve Esack, it will “not be a key part of his second term”, but Wolf is “keeping his eyes open to what New York and New Jersey are doing.”
PA Gov. Tom Wolf says he is not making legalizing pot a key part of his second term. He is only keeping his eyes open to what NY and NJ are doing.
— Steve Esack (@sesack) December 20, 2018
Loading ...
9 Responses
Bravo and finally!
The reality is that marijuana use is so prevalent that every single doctor’s office asks questions about recreational drug use for first time patients. Obviously, people like to smoke pot no matter what I think. I read today that there are more and more states like Michigan who passed legalizing marijuana in nov 2018 by 56% to 44%. Missouri just passed medical marijuana by 66% to 34%. North Dakota defeated legalizing pot 59 to 41%. The reality is clear–folks want to smoke pot no matter what you think and why not figure a way to get some tax revenue because these referendums will only be increasing. Some cities are now passing referendums allowing marijuana use. A damn has broken on pot smoking and the wise state will figure a way to secure desperately needed revenue from this blatantly obvious trend. The pot referendums ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
Wow, first time I ever agree with Diano. Well said.
Thanks.
The people pushing for full legalization are effectively sabotaging the criminal justice reform aspect by going too far.
People suffering in jail and with criminal records is bigger problem than people not having easy access to pot and trying to create a dubious source of revenue.
My understanding is that revenue estimates are based on neighboring states not having pot sales. Colorado fought to sell pot, then fought to prevent neighboring states from selling pot, to keep their “profits”.
There is a ready source of tax revenue: severance tax on oil/gas (other states collect it, because their legislators aren’t as bribed as ours).
Wolf just needs the guts to shutdown fracking until he gets the severance.
Boy it sure is good WOLF did not have to open his mouth to win!!!!!! David, shutting down fracking?
Is that not the same as shutting down the government??
Their is always a place to steal the money you need why not have you and all your dims write a check to the Commonwealth? $5 surcharge to be a Democrat!! That will also give you plenty of money to DO YOUR THING
the truth hurts-
Fracking, drilling, pipelines are dangerous to the environment and the people living near them. Due to Corbett and his DEP working FOR the oil/gas industry, many wells are unsafe and the environmental testing was not done properly or DEP folded to oil/gas with barely a wrist slap.
The Sunoco pipeline has been a disaster with more negligence and problems than any similar project. Chester County DA has opened a criminal investigation.
If they aren’t paying a fair extraction tax (like in every other state), then they shouldn’t be able to rape the land and resources of PA. Wolf can stop issuing new permits and shut down all the wells with reported problems and require testing of the whole lot. The oil/gas industry has been settling out of court with non-disclosure to people whom they’ve harmed and polluted their properties. (It’s hush-money.) Those polluters should be shut-down by the government, and not allowed to skate by paying off residents quietly to hide the problems.
Given the risks, Wolf has an obligation to protect the citizens and environment.
Oil/gas will pay 10% severance to turn the spigot back on.
The bottom line is that Wolf is a pussy with friends (like Rendell) financially tied to oil/gas, and he doesn’t have the moral courage for a moratorium.
My position is that if Wolf is going to sell out the health, welfare, and environment of the residents, he should do it for a severance tax and not bend over and give it away for free.
Gas industry pays more with an impact fee than they would with a severance tax.
Strongest industry regulations and enforcement in the country.
But don’t let the facts get in your way Double D
Poppa Jack-
Bullsh*t.
Strongest enforcement? Try the weakest. Under Corbett, DEP was run by industry lobbyists. Wolf’s barely doing anymore enforcement. The legislature is controlled by obvious bribes that no one is bothering to prosecute.
Is Wolf high?
A lot of people want to legalizing recreational pot to sell/tax for revenue. PA shouldn’t be in the business of drug dealing for profit. (yes, selling alcohol is bad too, but that’s no reason to add another drug for profit)
Decriminalize small amounts to reduce the cost of law enforcement and the courts. Also, get rid of the rampant abuse by law enforcement using pot arrests to jail/harass minorities.
Fix the criminal just abuse FIRST. See how much that saves, before jumping the gun to full legalization.