Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is set to include marijuana legalization in his upcoming budget request, marking the third consecutive year he has advocated for the reform, with House Leader Matt Bradford (D) saying he sees “a path forward”.
Next week, Governor Shapiro is set to release his proposed 2025-2026 budget, which he has promised will include the legalization of recreational marijuana. House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D) has expressed confidence that legalization could move forward this session, after years of attempts from proponents.
“Yes, our numbers are close, but we are confident that we can get our numbers together and show that there is a path forward on cannabis,” says Bradford.
However, Republican leaders in the legislature continue to cast doubts on the proposal, raising concerns about the state’s ability to regulate a legal market effectively.
“It’s a practicality issue more than a philosophical issue. Obviously, this state has not done well in rolling out medical marijuana”, says Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman. “We’ve not demonstrated our ability to have the bureaucracy manage something of that magnitude.”
If Pennsylvania does legalize marijuana this year, they will become the 25th legal marijuana state.
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