Back in 2014, the latest cannabis news in Pennsylvania was when Philadelphia decriminalized cannabis. Then, in 2016, the news was medical marijuana becoming legalized in Pennsylvania. Now, nearly a month into 2020, we are all wondering what the new year will bring concerning cannabis?

The Weed Tour

During the fall of 2019, during the mists of the vaping epidemic where there were dozens of lung sickness, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania proceeded to go on a statewide tour of all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to find out what the state’s opinion is on legalizing recreational marijuana. After the tour was finished, Governor Tom Wolf announced the results, revealing that the majority of Pennsylvania supported the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Furthermore, Governor Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman then proceeded to call for three actions, which are:

“1. Asking the legislature to get a bill to the governor’s desk that decriminalizes non-violent and small cannabis-related offenses.
2. Seeking a path to restorative justice through the expungement of past convictions of non-violent and small cannabis-related crimes.
3. Calling on the General Assembly to seriously debate and consider the legalization of adult-use, recreational marijuana.”

We are just about a month into 2020, and we are waiting to see what happens this year. With Illinois recently legalizing recreational marijuana, cannabis lobbyists are anxiously awaiting the legalization of recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania; there is an excellent opportunity to get involved and learn more about the highly anticipated legal marijuana market coming up this spring.

How to stay informed.

Hosted by the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, the CannAtlantic Conference will be in University City, April 4-5th. This event allows people to come and learn more about the cannabis industry and market by learning from industry leaders, researchers, politicians, dispensary owners, etc. Even more,  this event is an excellent opportunity to learn more about cannabis and equity in the market. This is also a remarkable chance to network and meet new people in the cannabis market.

Overall, the prospect of legal recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania looks very promising for 2020, and there is a lot to look forward to. However, it is crucial to note that the legalization of recreational marijuana should be done very meticulously to benefit the communities that have been affected most by prohibition.