Note: Veriheal does not support or endorse any political candidate or their policies. We merely report on the facts as they are presented and their implications in regards to cannabis.
As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania has certainly earned its OG status in America. It’s home to Lake Erie, the Appalachian Mountains, and is the 5th most populous state in the US with an estimated 12.7 million residents. Pennsylvania’s major industries are steel, farming, mining, electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals but the state currently faces a 6.0 % unemployment rate all thanks to COVID-19.
Current statistics show that the steel industry is being hit hard, with American stocks being hit the worst. Covid-19 also significantly impacted farms ranging from dairy to mushrooms and everything in between. The automotive industry isn’t exactly thriving either. Before Covid-19, pharmaceuticals were the hot topic for fueling the almost forgotten opioid epidemic that still plagues our nation and many others but now is struggling to maintain. On a bright note, electronic sales are on the rise in the US, giving the state a slight glimmer of hope at not losing all of its financial avenues. Economic devastation is very real and is happening across the state as it is with many others.
Lawmakers are looking at ways to increase the state’s revenue, and to no surprise, some suggest legalizing recreational cannabis. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is one of those lawmakers who is pushing for the legalization of recreational cannabis. Medical marijuana was legalized in Pennsylvania back in 2016 and went into effect in 2018. While medical is helping the people of Pennsylvania, it isn’t collecting the revenue that recreational sales could be collecting.
If you don’t have a med card in Pennsylvania, you better be on your P’s & Q’S. Pennsylvania laws state that first-time drug convictions could only receive probation instead of jail time. Fool them once, shame on them, fool them twice, and well, it makes you eligible for double penalties. Let’s look at what happens if you currently get caught with cannabis without a medical cannabis card in the state of Pennsylvania.
As you can see, you don’t even want to get caught with a seed or a pack of rolling papers in this state without a state-issued medical cannabis card. That could all change if the state were to adopt new recreational cannabis laws. Recreational laws further expand legal access to cannabis, but there are a few downsides. When states pass recreational cannabis laws, these laws often come with excessive taxes like seen in Colorado. States like Oklahoma are seeing great success with their medical-only approach to cannabis legalization, which its citizens showed support for by squashing the proposed recreational bill in the state before it could make its way to a vote.
On the plus side, those without medical cards would finally get a taste of freedom getting to legally enjoy cannabis within limits. Retail cannabis markets do help create jobs, increase tourism, and strengthen community relations with police. These are all significant aspects of ending the decades’ old prohibition of cannabis. If you factor in the size of the state population and legal retail cannabis, you start to see some rather impressive dollar signs. Will these dollar signs be enough to encourage lawmakers to make the switch permitting retail cannabis in the state? Or will the people of Pennsylvania say no to recreational cannabis, keeping their state a medical one instead? Only time will tell. Hopefully, with any luck, the US federal government will end cannabis prohibition all together someday soon and allow all states to reap the benefits.
Still give the law all the rights too walk in your homes and lock up us for possession with intent to deliver and jail then fines and lawers,then you loose all your stuff then when you think you can take no more the court and your now new court appointed by a judge to go to classes and when are we the people have the right to where the help some of us have are cards and still are being treated like dealers
I like wolf some days but he’s always got his behind the scenes reasons for change that are shady. We’ll see what comes of this, if anything.
I’ve waited and fought for full legalization for 50+yrs. It’s so far past the time this should be a done deal. Cannabis harms no one.. lest the people who are slammed into the judicial system for simply choosing to toke rather than reach for a physician prescribed sedative.. for the sake of sanity and revenue..let’s get this shit done..TODAY!
As cannabis legalization is progressing around the world, many cannabis users are looking at whether or not growing their own plants at home is right for them. Some questions to consider before growing marijuana inside your home include the following: Do I have the space? Can I replicate the right environment for cultivation? Can I…
The US Senate has proposed a bill that could potentially legalize cannabis on the federal level. Researchers have discovered the exact origins of the cannabis plant thanks to genetic sequencing. And the US Surgeon General supports keeping cannabis offenders out of jail. Video Transcript: Senate lawmakers propose legislation that would federally legalize cannabis And a…
Cannabis legalization has become widespread across the United States. Many states have adopted medical cannabis laws, and several allow recreational cannabis. It is easy to get frustrated by the negative opinions of anti-cannabis activists and supporters. After all, much of what they argue is based on misinformation. This information was abundantly plastered into the public’s…
Have you recently given up smoking substances that contain nicotine? Well, you may have noticed that it’s really hard to stop because of your nicotine dependence. When you feel as though you need nicotine and can’t go without it, you are being held hostage by nicotine dependence. Fortunately, cannabidiol (CBD) was suggested to help reduce…
Did you know? Washington State, one of the states with the longest-running recreational cannabis marketplaces in the United States, still has policies in place that prevent Washington residents from growing cannabis at home. So… what gives? When anyone over 21 years of age can legally grow cannabis at home in so many other states, why…
As commercial cannabis cultivators try to keep up with intense market demand, efficient business solutions are being sought out in the form…
The world of cannabis is filled with terminology that can become very confusing, especially for those new to the scene. In this…
On January 27, 2018, the cannabis industry bid a solemn farewell to one of its most notable lobbyists – Dennis Robert Peron….
