Last week, the 2022 session for Pennsylvania’s legislature began. Last year saw several legalization and decriminalization proposals, but none received a hearing or were called for a vote. Luckily, many of the 2021 proposals have carried over to 2022, which presents another opportunity to enact sensible, humane cannabis policy before the session adjourns in November.

Exciting news! Just last week, a bipartisan pair of senators introduced a bill that would permit home cultivation of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D), who also jointly proposed a separate legalization bill earlier this year, introduced the concept in a letter to senators calling on them to sign on as cosponsors.

Despite having a medical marijuana program since 2018, Pennsylvania’s “zero tolerance” driving under the influence law still does not recognize the difference between medicinal and recreational cannabis use. This statutory oversight places unimpaired medical patients at risk of arrest, prosecution, and conviction every time they operate a motor vehicle, even when driving responsibly.

Good news! On June 30, 2021, Governor Wolf signed P.L. 210 into law, making several improvements to Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program. P.L. 210 (otherwise known as HB 1024) was sponsored by Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) and acts on recommendations made by the Department of Health to revise the Medical Marijuana Act, which was signed into law in 2016.

Exciting news! Just last week, a bipartisan pair of senators introduced a bill that would legalize cannabis for adult use in Pennsylvania. Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) have drafted legislation that would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess cannabis from licensed retailers. The possession limit would be set at 30 grams, and medical marijuana patients would have an option to cultivate up to five plants at home.

Last week, Sen. Sharif Street filed a bill with the Judiciary Committee to decriminalize up to 30 grams of cannabis. Currently, possession and distribution of 30 grams of cannabis (or eight grams of hashish without intent to sell) is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days imprisonment and a $500 fine.

It’s been four years since the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf legalized medical cannabis. But Pennsylvania still has an unscientific law on the books that criminalizes driving with cannabis in one’s system. Because THC can stay in the body for a week, completely sober drivers — including medical cannabis patients — can be wrongfully branded with a DUI conviction!

Tuesday, November 3 is Election Day. This year’s elections will be critical in determining whether Pennsylvania will finally legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older. We’ve put together a voter guide on where the candidates stand on legalizing, regulating, and taxing cannabis for adults 21 and older. It includes responses to our candidate questionnaire, along with past public stances on legalization. Despite the pandemic, the issue of legalization has been front and center in Pennsylvania throughout…

Ask your lawmakers to support legalizing and regulating marijuana for adults. I have some encouraging news to share with you. Last week, a majority of Senate Democrats authored a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf arguing that adult-use marijuana legalization should be immediately pursued to make up revenue losses from the coronavirus pandemic. The letter, which was signed by 18 Senate Democrats in total, argues that legalizing adult-use cannabis can protect Pennsylvanians from harmful tax hikes and spending…

Tell your state lawmakers you support SB 1206. Good news! Last month, Sen. Camera Bartolotta sponsored legislation (SB 1206) that would reform Pennsylvania’s DUI laws to stop criminalizing medicinal marijuana patients for driving long after any impairing effects of cannabis have worn off.Urge your state lawmakers to sign on as a cosponsor for SB 1206.Pennsylvania legalized the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes in 2016. However, state law continues to criminalize drivers for having any amount…