By Rep. Kinkead
Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana nearly a decade ago and the success of that program has proven we are capable of regulating cannabis safely and effectively. As our medical cannabis program thrives and popular demand for recreational cannabis grows, we have yet to create a legal framework for adult-use cannabis.
While 24 states — including all but one of Pennsylvania’s neighbors — have moved forward with legalizing recreational adult-use cannabis, our Commonwealth continues to cling to a failed criminal statute that destroys lives, wastes taxpayer resources, and shuts us out of a booming, billion-dollar industry. And to what end?
Let’s be real: cannabis is already widely available in Pennsylvania, whether through the medical program, the illicit market, or a quick trip to Ohio. Criminalization does not deter use; it only drives the market underground. That means no quality standards, no tax revenue, and criminal penalties for something most Pennsylvanians believe should be legal.
When Ohio opened its market, most licensees positioned themselves along the Pennsylvania border to attract our residents. In the first three months alone, recreational cannabis generated more than $15 million in tax revenue for Ohio. Every day we fail to act, we send millions of dollars across state lines. This isn’t just an economic issue, though the numbers are staggering. Legalization could create over 30,000 jobs in Pennsylvania and generate hundreds of millions in new tax revenue each year.
It’s also an issue of justice. Arrests for cannabis have lifelong consequences like lost job opportunities, barriers to housing, and disruption to families. All for something the majority of our voters believe should already be legal. Make no mistake, the criminalization of cannabis disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities, as they are far more likely to be arrested for possession, despite similar rates of use for cannabis across races.
By failing to legalize, Pennsylvania is sending millions of dollars in much-needed revenue to other states and ignoring generations of injustice done. As a consistent advocate for legalization, I have once again introduced a bipartisan bill to legalize cannabis use for adults in Pennsylvania, alongside my Republican colleague state Rep. Abby Major.
After spending years researching what has and hasn’t worked in other states, I’m confident our legislation (H.B. 20) would establish a stable, well-regulated cannabis market that prioritizes public safety and public health, protects children from exposure, promotes social justice, and fosters economic opportunity.
Ensuring communities most impacted by criminalization have a seat at the table and a share in the economic opportunities legalization will bring, our legislation prioritizes pathways for small businesses, especially those owned by women, veterans, and minority groups. Under this bill, recreational cannabis would help repair the decades of damage done, rather than becoming an industry dominated by a few, large corporate entities. It also includes a “clean slate” provision to help individuals with prior cannabis-related convictions.
Public safety and consumer protection are at the heart of this plan. With H.B. 20, every product will be tested for safety and potency. Advertising will be tightly controlled, and strong packaging standards will help prevent children from being targeted. The bill also funds law enforcement to assist municipalities that host cannabis businesses. These measures would replace the chaos of the illicit market with a transparent, regulated system that benefits consumers and communities alike. That chaos has helped spawn unregulated, synthetic variants of cannabis and intoxicating hemp that is already making its way onto the streets and to kids through vape shops and other stores. Our proposal regulates these products, too, so that consumers know exactly what they contain and at what concentrations.
Questions about youth access and impaired driving are real and deserve serious attention. That’s why our bill invests in education and enforcement to deter underage use and keep high drivers off the road. Other states have shown that legalization, when paired with smart regulation, can squash the illicit market without increasing youth consumption.
Legalization also offers an incredible opportunity for our farmers — don’t forget that agriculture is Pennsylvania’s number one industry! Integrating cannabis into our state’s already strong agricultural infrastructure, H.B. 20 would create new revenue streams for rural communities and designates revenue to provide consistent funding to the Agriculture Innovation Grants program, helping farmers of today and the future succeed.
Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support this change. Recent polling shows nearly two-thirds of voters — across party lines in rural, suburban, and urban communities — support legalization. Our residents recognize the reality is that cannabis is already here, and that criminalization does nothing to make us safer.
Legalizing adult-use cannabis is about replacing a broken system with one that prioritizes safety, equity, opportunity, and justice. It’s about keeping Pennsylvania competitive, boosting local economies, and ensuring that the benefits of legalization are shared by everyone — particularly those who have borne the brunt of the failed war on drugs.
We have waited long enough. The economic benefits are clear. The social justice need is urgent. The public demand is overwhelming. My bill with Rep. Major is a responsible, bipartisan path forward, and I am proud to lead this effort.
It’s time for Pennsylvania to legalize adult-use cannabis and build a system that works with H.B. 20. If you want to learn more about my cannabis bill or share your thoughts, I encourage you to reach out to my office at [email protected], call (412) 321-5523, or stop by at 658 Lincoln Ave. in Bellevue. My team and I are here to answer your questions and welcome your feedback.
