New Governor of Pennsylvania Supports Sensible Marijuana Policy Reform

Democrat Tom Wolf will be the new governor of Pennsylvania after defeating Republican Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday night.

[caption id="attachment_8287" align="alignright" width="300"] Tom Wolf[/caption]

In the months leading up to the vote, polls showed Wolf to be up by double digits against Corbett. After all the ballots were counted, Wolf emerged the victor, 55-45.

Wolf’s victory may now determine the fate of marijuana policy in the state of Pennsylvania. Mr. Wolf supports allowing medical access to marijuana for patients with debilitating conditions whose physicians recommend it. He is also in favor of reducing the criminal penalties associated with the possession of small amounts of marijuana to civil penalties.

“Decriminalization would stop destruction of families and lives; stop overcrowding in prison; stop distortion of our economy,” he said in a PennLive interview, noting that decriminalization would extend job opportunities to people denied employment because of prior convictions.

On medical marijuana “what is motivating me is people I know with children with diseases that could be treated with medical marijuana. My goal is to create a system where they don’t feel like they need to go to another state to make their child whole,” he said.

Now that Wolf is governor, there are high hopes that medical marijuana, as well as the decriminalization of marijuana, will be implemented statewide.