Today, the senate law and justice committee held the first of 3 meetings focused on the impacts of legalizing marijuana in the state.
“If your friends are all jumping off a bridge you don’t go ahead and jump off a bridge to just because they did”
Will Pennsylvania follow its neighboring states’ lead in legalizing adult use marijuana?
“Behind every illegal drug deal that goes on and a lot of them are happening is violence and guns and all these things but we could make it safe or we could tax it and regulate it and you know certainly produce a product that’s a lot safer than what’s out there now and the process of purchasing it a lot safer than it is right now”
“It’s gonna enrich big tobacco big alcohol big industries who don’t have public health in mind”
The Senate law and justice committee the first in the general assembly to seriously weigh the issue Monday.
“We have to look at workplace safety and what what how do employers deal with this”
“The misconception is that oh this is going to be a brand new thing that the person who never smoked pot before Is now going to come to work hi I think that’s unrealistic”
“They have access to it already you know so let’s just make sure we get them a quality safe product”
Lawmakers in favor of legalization look to eliminate the black market and provide consumer protections, through regulations and safe sales.
“They have access to it already you know so let’s just make sure we get them a quality safe product”
Those against legalization worry of the impacts it could have on children
“ When you commercialized the sale of a dangerous and addictive drug with potency as Strong as 99% I mean these things will be in edibles and concentrates and advertised on billboards and that’s something that will look at younger audience you know young children that’s an influence”
“We have to be careful to on one hand lessen the impact of these Types of convictions so that we don’t over incarcerate but let us not be fooled that this is some type of help for inner city that’s gonna help them raise above their current poverty levels and obtainment levels”
“The idea with legalized cannabis is that cannabis sellers will then card you too hopefully push the black market out of its existence and so we have less access for young people because you have more access for adults”
