Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R ) and Rep. Emily Kinkead (D) announced a plan to introduce a bill to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults in Pennsylvania. It marks the latest efforts by legislators in the state to legalize the drug.
Kaufer and Kinkead issued a press release earlier this week that their legislation would be the “first comprehensive, bipartisan adult-use cannabis legalization bill in the House of Representatives.” The lawmakers emphasized that the bill would focus on “public safety, consumer protection, social equity, and criminal justice reform.”
“This bill underscores our commitment to responsible regulation of the cannabis industry while addressing the diverse needs of Pennsylvania’s communities,” Kaufer stated in the release. “By prioritizing public safety and consumer protection, this legislation will build on the successful regulatory structure of the state’s medical cannabis program, continuing stringent standards for product quality, packaging, and labeling to ensure the well-being of all consumers.”
The bill’s sponsors-to-be claimed it would prioritize criminal justice reforms predicated on an ideologically-based social equity program that would generate “opportunities for individuals disproportionately impacted by outdated cannabis policies.”
“It is well past time for the Commonwealth to legalize cannabis for recreational use, address the injustices of the failed War on Drugs, and ensure that Pennsylvanians can benefit from this industry in the same way our neighboring states have,” Kinkead said. “Our bipartisan effort to provide specific language that takes the best practices from other states is the next substantial step in finally getting this done.”
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Various health concerns remain surrounding marijuana, however. Over the last year, numerous studies have linked using the drug to dangerous health conditions that adversely affect the physical and mental health of regular marijuana users. This included higher risks for strokes, heart attacks, anxiety, depression, suicide ideation, developing psychotic disorders, and even a loss of IQ points.
Neither Kaufer nor Kinkead addressed the numerous studies linking marijuana use to these dangerous conditions while announcing their intentions to introduce a bill to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania.
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