The Biden administration’s move to federally reschedule marijuana “adds support” for an effort to legalize cannabis in Pennsylvania, the governor’s office says.
While moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would not legalize it, a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) says the move could bolster state-level reform efforts.
“Governor Shapiro has made clear that we need to catch up—practically every one of our neighbors has legalized marijuana and is benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue—and this important step by the federal government only adds support to the Governor’s proposal,” Shapiro’s spokesperson Manuel Bonder told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday.
Shapiro once again proposed legalization as part of his budget request in February, seeking to establish a system that would be implemented starting this summer. Lawmakers have also been holding a series of hearings to discuss various policy considerations as they work to draft a legalization bill.
Rescheduling marijuana under the CSA wouldn’t federally legalize it, but advocates and stakeholders hope that the modest reform will act as a catalyst both for congressional and state-level legislation.
“The Shapiro Administration stands ready to work with the General
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