Sign In
Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
Pennsylvania House passes bill legalizing adult-use marijuana
Stacy Wescoe//May 8, 2025//
Listen to this articlePennsylvania is one step closer to the legalization of adult-use recreational marijuana.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed legislation sponsored by Reps. Rick Krajewski and Dan Frankel to legalize adult-use cannabis, advancing a comprehensive plan that centers on public health, community repair and economic opportunity.
The legislation, which would leave the medical cannabis program unchanged, now heads to the Senate.
“This is a victory for common sense, public health and communities who have paid the highest price under prohibition,” said Frankel, who chairs the House Health Committee. “We cannot allow the missteps of other states to stop us from ending the harmful policies of cannabis prohibition. Instead, we have the opportunity to chart a new course that protects public health and benefits Pennsylvanians whether they use cannabis or not.”
The bill calls for the automatic expungement of records for low-level cannabis offenses and investments in restorative justice.
Tax money generated through cannabis sales would be targeted for reinvestment in communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.
The bill calls for public health safeguards, including THC limits, restrictions on marketing and packaging, and measures to prevent accidental ingestion.
As structured in the Cannabis Health and Safety Act, the hybrid marketplace it creates is projected to bring in more than $2.2 billion dollars to Pennsylvania in the first two years.
“Pennsylvania families deserve a modern cannabis policy that reflects science and compassion, not stigma,” Frankel added. “We are ready to work with our Senate colleagues to get this across the finish line.”
