Experts have been predicting marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania since at least as early as 2013, more than a year after the first few states in the U.S. legalized recreational adult use.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman called on the state General Assembly to legalize marijuana on Thursday, arguing that taxes levied on commercial cannabis sales could help the state recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wolf initially outlined his recreational marijuana legalization plan in a legislative agenda released last week.

I would like to say kudos to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf for finally calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to legalize adult-use cannabis. It would have been better if he had actually thought through what he was proposing and meant it.

Last week, the governor said that he would like to legalize cannabis in order to bring in more revenue for the state and he thinks that selling cannabis in the state liquor stores is the way to do it.

As the West Coast matures from the early Green Rush and Midwest markets like Michigan and Illinois hit their stride with recent legalization, all eyes are on the Northeast as the sleeping giant that will radically change the national cannabis landscape for 2021 and beyond. Among the 40 million-plus residing in the tri-state area between New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, the East Coast offers a monumental competitive advantage with substantial opportunities for new players to make their mark as soon as the industry is given the green light to move forward—which is only a matter of time.

As Executive Director of The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and as a former member of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, I would like to express my concerns, and those of many of our membership, about the legalization of marijuana and the relative effects on public safety in or communities.

I believe that marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania will pose significant challenges for law enforcement resulting from the unanticipated consequences it has on crime and public safety.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf called for the legalization of recreational marijuana on Tuesday, telling state lawmakers that taxes levied on cannabis sales could be used to fund COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts. As the Democratic governor announced his legislative agenda, Wolf asked the Republican-led legislature to focus on pandemic recovery, government reform, and support for businesses, workers, and families.

Medical marijuana sales have dramatically increased in Southeastern Pennsylvania since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

"I am a cancer patient. I have neuropathy in my hands and feet and horrible insomnia," said Anna Squitieri of South Philadelphia.

Penn State College of Medicine researchers have found products containing cannabinoids may have impacts on the effects of some conventional prescription drugs.

A new study is being conducted to measure the quality of life that medical cannabis patients in Pennsylvania report when using cannabis to address pain relief.  The University of the Sciences and Releaf App have partnered with the Pennsylvania dispensary Keystone Canna Remedies to conduct a second collaborative research study on the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program.

An original study by that group found that cannabis products with THC gave the greatest symptom relief in patients. The report said that on a 10-point scale, the pain relief seen in patients taking primarily THC products was nearly two points, a statistically significant difference from one point reduction seen in patients taking primarily CBD based products.