Montco lawmaker seeks sponsors for bill to legalize pot
Washington. Colorado. Pennsylvania? A Democratic lawmaker from Montgomery County plans to introduce a bill making marijuana use legal in Pennsylvania.
Montco lawmaker seeks sponsors for bill to legalize pot
Washington. Colorado. Pennsylvania?
A Democratic lawmaker from Montgomery County plans to introduce a bill making marijuana use legal in Pennsylvania.
What is Sen. Daylin Leach smoking, you might ask?
Common sense, he says.
Buoyed by the legalization of marijuana by voters in Washington and Colorado in the November election, Leach is circulating a memo seeking co-sposors for his bill to make pot legal in the commonwealth.
To Leach, the war on drugs, as it relates to marijuana is a waste of money and makes criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens.
In Pennsylvania alone, there were 24,685 arrests for marijuana possession since 2006, according to the office of National Drug Control Policy.
That means $325 million to prosecute, incarcerate and disrupt the lives of thousands of people whose only crime, says Leach, "was smoking a plant which made them feel a bit giddy."
But could it happen in the socially conservative Pennsylvania legislature, where even medical marijuana legislation can't find its way out of committee let alone become law as it has in 19 states?
"I acknowledge that it may take a while," said Leach. "But like same-sex marriage, this will inevitably happen. Demographics and exposure will in time defeat irrational fears, old wives tales and bad science. This bill furthers the discussion, which hastens the day."
Leach said persecuting marijuana users is foolish, ill-conceived, costly and destructive policy must end.
His bill, he said, will remove the possession, use, and regulated sale of marijuana from the purview of our state's criminal justice system and legalize the consumption of marijuana for adults.
Leach adds the state could benefit from hundreds of millions in taxes on a product that continues to be trafficked underground.
Provisions of the legislation would include that marijuana be a regulated product, treated in a way similar to how alcohol is treated. It will be sold legally only in either state stores or beer distributors.
It still would be illegal to:
- Operate of motor vehicles under the influence of marijuana
- Possess narijuana if you are under the age of 21 or for an adult to sell it to a minor.
- It would be illegal to resell marijuana, as it is illegal to resell alcohol in Pennsylvania today.
- It would be illegal in public places - as alcohol is - and employers may prohibit its use on their property.
Said Leach: "It is time for Pennsylvania to be a leader in jettisoning this modern-day prohibition, and ending a policy that has been so destructive, costly, and anti-scientific."
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I am sure that the State Store Union would be all over legalization of this product. It would mean thousands of more jobs for their ilk.— truthfirst- To what extent do we want to legalize?...1) simple decriminalizing- no govt involvement 2) medical where you need a script or 3) full govt reg like the FDA...would the govt then need to inspect the weed? would private enterprises be able to sell? would you be able to but it in a vending machine, WaWa...?
Things quickly get complicated and I don't have the confidence in our law makers to create clear and effective legislation...so the debate needs to focus on what extend of legalization, not whether to legalize.— dude - I think it's hilarious that the state that offers the most archaic way of selling booze would even be discussing this. But for all you noble handwringers, and terminal do-gooders, just know that I'll continue to go to Delaware for a variety of reasonable 12 packs and better wine selection, and also beat you out of revenue by occasionally buying weed from someone other than the same government who wastes money trying to stop me. I'm with Wilcowaits, what harm would it being put on a ballot cause?— KG
- Leach is a sycophant. Co sponsored gay marriage when everyone was losing their jobs. Teacher's union bought and paid for. Legalize marijuana just next up in his next quest for attention. Give him credit..he's their useful idiot...— MGuyW
- The Bill won't pass. It's a shame too. I'm sitting here wondering how many times a judge has sentenced a person for possession of marijuana, than that same judge goes home and roils a fat joint. Same ones that make the rules break the rules.— Brad Morgan
- We don't even have a free market for alcohol, the most popular drug in America! Can we please start with selling beer and wine in the grocery stores and gas stations?!— snealfleeba
- There is no way the powerful liquor and beer lobbies will tolerate this. And if the past is any indication, our legislators will bow down to them again.— Donald Segretti
- Let's keep lowering the bar... Idiot !!!!— danmd73
- "You wanna' go look for a job"? "Nah, let's just get high." "Wanna do homework"? "No, let's get high instead". "Are you going to check on the baby"? "Yes, as soon as I smoke this joint".— tlee
- TLEE you are clueless, when I talked to a individual with the top IT business and asked if they tested for drugs, his response was, are you kidding, they would lose 80% of their staff. You probably never went to college, because if you did you would know how POT is very much in play in college as well as the working force. — jg21
- do it. complete waste of money. it used to be legal and should be again.— dreinterests
- Surprise surprise, the dope wants to legalize dope. So what's new about that? no story here— Speak-truth-2-power
- Can solve two problems. Privatize alcohol sales and tune the LCB into the PCB. Pot Control Board. Turn the state stores into pot stores. Private liqueur stores will rent out more space and hire more people improving the job situation. State store employees can be come experts on the various weeds and make recommendations. Snack sales goes up. Everyone stays employed. Weed taxes add to the tax base. Legal and police costs can be go down or refocus on hard drugs. Seems like a win/win all the way around.— Tiller
- tlee is on to something. Let's get people stoned and pre-occupied so they don't care how screwed up things are around them. Suddenly a lot of people won't care that the economy is bad and they can't find a job.— Phillies2008WSChamps
