As many bills are circulating about whether Pennsylvania should legalize the recreational use of marijuana and how to do so, a House representative introduced a co-sponsorship memorandum suggesting legalizing it for adult use through the Pa. state store system.
Pa. House Rep. David Delloso of Delaware County proposed the legislation as a way to not only legalize recreational marijuana in Pa., but also expunge low level cannabis convictions and permit people to grow it.
He stated if this type of legislation were to pass it would free law enforcement to focus on community issues and reduce the racial disparity in the criminal justice system related to cannabis convictions.
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State stores refer to the Fine Wine & Good Spirits that are controlled by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
Rep. Delloso confirms that the intention for the legislation is to allow the Liquor Control Board to control both the sale of liquor and marijuana in the state. This means people would be able to buy alcohol and cannabis products in the same store.
This will be the third time this particular legislation is introduced and Rep. Delloso is hopeful that this time around the bill is passed.
Shawn Kelly from the Liquor Control Board said if the legislature passes they will follow the guidelines set out in it if changes are made to the state store system.
Whether that will include something like changes to the board's name is unknown but not out of the question as the board currently only controls the "...sale of distilled spirits and, in some cases, wine and beer...," as is stated on its site.
Rep. Delloso said the Liquor Control Board was not involved in the making of the legislation.
In Pa., only medical marijuana is legal.
