According to a survey from Franklin & Marshall College, 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters back marijuana legalization which represents the highest level of support for the issue since the firm started polling people about it in 2006.
By that time, only 22 percent of voters said they favor legalizing cannabis. The results show that support has nearly tripled in the years since.
As reported by marijuanamoment.net, the poll, which involved interviews with 522 registered voters and was conducted October 18-24, comes as legislators intensify efforts to achieve legalization enacted in the state.
And there are various instances of these efforts. Earlier this month, a bipartisan Senate bill to end prohibition in Pennsylvania that has been months in the making was formally introduced.
Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) unveiled the nearly 240-page legislation months after first outlining some key details back in February.
Also this month, Rep. Amen Brown (D) announced his intent to file a reform bill that he’ll be working on with Sen. Mike Regan (R), who recently expressed his support for the policy change.
A separate pair of state lawmakers, Reps. Jake Wheatley (D) and Dan Frankel (D),also formally unveiled a legalization bill they are proposing.
You can read: Marijuana supporters rallied at Pa. state Capitol and asked legalization
The creation of a regulated business model for cannabis is determined by the particular provisions considered in the legislation. This causes proposals to vary in how they address taxation, revenue and social equity.
Motivate the legislature
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is running for U.S. Senate, told Marijuana Moment that he is optimistic about the prospects of reform with these latest proposals. However, he acknowledged that there may be disputes between legislators over how tax revenue should be distributed.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia City Council has placed a referendum on the local November ballot urging the state to enact legalization. The hope is that the local vote could further motivate the legislature to move ahead with legalization. Gov. Tom Wolf has said that a bipartisan approach to legalization “would be a great thing. I think the time is right.”