Delaware County lawmaker introduces bill to legalize marijuana, sell at Pa. stores
DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. - A Pennsylvania lawmaker has proposed a new bill that seeks to legalize recreational marijuana and sell it at state-operated stores.
House Bill 1899, proposed by Rep. David Delloso of Delaware County, seeks to amend the Liquor code to allow for “adult use of cannabis”.
““In order to guarantee the safety of our citizens, I’ve introduced a bill that would use our current state store system to sell cannabis, ensuring state regulations are enforced,” Rep. Delloso wrote in a statement on Oct. 1.
RELATED: Pa. governor now supports legalizing recreational marijuana
In addition to legalizing marijuana, the bill would allow for the imposition of gross receipt and excise taxes if passed.
The bill proposed by Rep. Delloso would only allow the purchase and use of marijuana by individuals who are at least 21 years of age.
The legislation also supports the expediated expunging the record of any person who has previously been “arrested for, charged with, or convicted under” the state’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act.
“According to the auditor general of Pennsylvania, legalizing adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania could create a $1.66 billion industry that would create more than 18,000 jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue every year,” Rep. Delloso explained in a memo shared in June.
RELATED: Officials encourage Pennsylvanians to apply for marijuana conviction pardons
Gov. Tom Wolf announced his support of legalizing marijuana for recreational use by adults in a statement last week.
Wolf has long supported decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, although the Legislature hasn't passed legislation to that effect.
Additionally, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman confirmed that Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons, is expediting the application process to be pardoned for marijuana-related charges.
As a part of the proposed legilization, both Lt. Gov. Fetterman and Gov. Wolf seek to “decriminalize minor cannabis-related offenses and expunge past convictions of minor-cannabis related crimes”.