A top Pennsylvania Republican says marijuana legalization will not be included in the 2026 budget as lawmakers approach a deadline he expects they will miss. But Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is still holding out hope that negotiators can “get it done.”

With the budget due by a constitutionally mandated deadline of June 30, legislators appear to be at an impasse on certain key issues, including the governor’s request to legalize adult-use cannabis via the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R) said he doesn’t see a path forward for the reform on that schedule, however.

Shapiro, on the other hand, hasn’t quite thrown in the towel, saying at a press briefing on Wednesday that “we all understand we have to compromise” on a number of issues to reach a budget agreement.

“We also, I think, all understand the set of issues we have to work through—and we’re going to continue to work through them,” he said. “We’re each going to have to give a little bit. We’re going to make progress. We’re going to get it done.”

The governor said that he doesn’t quite understand why GOP lawmakers wouldn’t support enacting legalization given that, in the current policy environment, Pennsylvanians are simply traveling to neighboring legal states to buy cannabis while contributing tax revenue to those other jurisdictions.

“Every state around us, with the exception of West Virginia, has legalized,” Shapiro said, “and Pennsylvanians are driving into those states in order to purchase cannabis legally—and pay taxes to those states so those school kids get more money for their schools, their parks and roads and bridges get repaired, their mass transit systems get funded, their housing stock gets replenished.”

“I’m not sure why we want to do that for the good people of Ohio or New York or Maryland or New Jersey, when we should be doing it for people here in Pennsylvania,” the governor said. “I think it’s a competitiveness issue. Its time has come… I hope we’re able to find a way to get that done.”

Responsible PA, an industry advocacy group backing legalization, said in response to Pittman’s comments on omitting cannabis reform from the budget that there’s “no viable path to passing a balanced budget without cannabis revenue on the table.”

“There’s a funding gap with few realistic alternatives to close it. Not only does the budget need cannabis revenue, but Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support it,” the group said. “Polling shows 68 percent of voters back legalization—rising to 74 percent once they learn more about the issue.”

“That support cuts across party lines, age groups, and every corner of the Commonwealth,” they said. “The pressure is mounting. The time for delay and posturing is over. The legislature must act now to legalize cannabis—delivering what voters want while generating the revenue Pennsylvania needs.”

Outside of the budget, the House did narrowly pass a marijuana legalization bill that would have involved state-run shops, but it was quickly rejected by a Senate committee.

Following that defeat, the governor said he still remained “hopeful” that lawmakers could deliver a reform bill to his desk by a budget deadline at the end of this month—and he urged the GOP-controlled Senate to “put their ideas on the table.”

“We’ve had really good, honest dialogue about it,” the governor, who separately criticized the Senate for abruptly derailing the House marijuana legalization bill, said.

“Look, I think this is an issue of competitiveness,” he said. “Every state around us, with the exception of West Virginia, has gotten it done. You go visit some of these dispensaries along our border—in this case with Maryland, [that] is probably the closest one here. Sixty percent of the people walking into those dispensaries are from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Whether Pennsylvania legislators will advance legalization this session remains to be seen. But two Democratic lawmakers—Sen. Sharif Street (D) and Rep. Rick Krajewski (D)—recently said they’re aiming to reach a compromise and pass reform legislation before the budget deadline.

Also, last month Sen. Marty Flynn (D) announced his intent to file a new bill to legalize marijuana in the state, calling on colleagues to join him on the measure.

While the House legislation Krajewski sponsored alongside Rep. Dan Frankel (D) was rejected in a Senate committee following its expedited passage through the House along party lines, Street said he’s “cautiously optimistic we’re going to be able to revive the bill and amend it and move forward with a work product that allows us to get a bill on the governor’s desk and realize revenue.”

That said, Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), who has sponsored legalization legislation with Street, recently seemed to suggest that lawmakers should pump the brakes on the push to enact the policy change amid resistance to reform within his caucus and instead pass a bill to create a new regulatory body that can begin overseeing medical cannabis and hemp while preparing to eventually handle the adult-use market as well.

“I remain committed to crafting a cannabis bill that can pass the Senate and be signed into law to benefit all Pennsylvanians,” Laughlin said. “That starts with honest dialogue from everyone involved, including House leadership and the governor, to develop a realistic approach–not political theater.”

Following the Senate committee vote, lawmakers from both chambers who support legalization have been trading criticisms about each other’s roles in the stalled push to end prohibition.

Krajewski, for example, recently wrote in a Marijuana Moment op-ed that Senate Republicans who killed his House-passed cannabis legalization bill are “stuck in their prohibitionist views of the past” and are “out of touch with the will of our Commonwealth.”

Prior to that vote, Pennsylvania’s Republican attorney general said that while he doesn’t currently support the House-passed marijuana legalization bill, he’s open to changing his mind about the policy change after continuing to review the details.

For what it’s worth, a recent poll found that Pennsylvania voters say they favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses, rather than through a system of state-run stores.

The governor has repeatedly called for adult-use marijuana legalization. However, he hasn’t endorsed the specific idea of having a state-controlled model.

Rep. Abby Major (R)—who is sponsoring another forthcoming legalization bill that envisions a traditional private sales model alongside Rep. Emily Kinkead (D)—said during the House floor debate on HB 1200 that she stands opposed to the competing bill, emphasizing that she disagrees with the state-run stores proposal.

While Democrats control the House and governor’s office, they will still need to reach a deal with the GOP-controlled Senate to effectuate change. And in addition to the conflicting perspectives among pro-legalization legislators, another potential barrier to reform is exactly that political dynamic.

Regardless of which direction Pennsylvania lawmakers do—or don’t—go on marijuana legalization this session, a survey released in April shows a majority of adults in the state support the reform—and opposition to the policy change has fallen by nearly 50 percent over the last decade.

Kinkead has made the case in another recent interview that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania will help the state mitigate public health and safety concerns associated with the illicit market, including the fact that unregulated products can be laced with fentanyl.

The lawmaker previously introduced a separate bipartisan marijuana legalization bill, alongside 15 other cosponsors, last September. It did not advance, however.

Meanwhile, Laughlin recently called for the creation of a state “legacy” fund, using tax revenue from adult-use marijuana sales and gaming to make long-term investments in the Commonwealth’s economy.

The senator argued that, beyond using any resulting tax revenue to fund day-to-day projects and public services, the state should earmark a portion of those tax dollars for a fund to “provide a sustainable source of prosperity that lasts for generations.”

Another GOP Pennsylvania senator, Sen. Gene Yaw (R), is backing the push to legalize marijuana in the commonwealth, pointing out that, historically, prohibition “has not turned out well,” noting the country’s experience with alcohol criminalization.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) recently said that Democrats are ready to pass a marijuana legalization bill this session, but that the party “will need Republican support” to get the job done—adding that it will be a “heavy lift.”

Polls have shown bipartisan support for legalization among voters, but the reform has consistently stalled in the legislature, owing in large part to GOP opposition. But not all Republican members are against the policy change—and one recently said she felt her party should seize the “opportunity to snatch” the issue from Democrats.

Separately in March, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill sponsored by Frankel that’s meant to strengthen safety standards and oversight of the state’s medical marijuana program as lawmakers work to advance adult-use legalization.

While Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program was enacted nearly a decade ago, lawmakers say the measure, which now heads to the Senate, is necessary to improve testing compliance, product audits and lab inspections, among other aspects of the industry.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would allow farmers and other small agriculture operators to sell marijuana they cultivate to existing growers and and processors if the state moves to legalize adult-use cannabis.

Separately, an independent Pennsylvania agency is projecting more tax dollars to be generated from adult-use marijuana sales compared to what the governor’s office has estimated, although it expects significantly less overall revenue from cannabis legalization due to differing views on licensing fees.

Pennsylvania officials have also launched a new survey that invites legal marijuana businesses across the country to provide information about their operations to help the state better understand the cannabis industry as lawmakers consider enacting adult-use legalization this session.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

Also, in a video interview released in March, the governor emphasized that the state is “losing out” to others that have already enacted adult-use legalization, while maintaining a policy that’s enriched the illicit market.

“I think it’s an issue of freedom and liberty. I mean, if folks want to smoke, they should be able to do so in a safe and legal way,” he said. “We should shut down the black market—and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians are driving to those other states and paying taxes in those other states.”

The state’s agriculture secretary separately told lawmakers that he’s fully confident that his department is in a “really good” position to oversee an adult-use marijuana program if lawmakers act.

Meanwhile, in February, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization if the legislature moves forward with the reform—and that they stand ready to work together as the details of legislation to achieve it are crafted.

Amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania, a GOP state senator said prohibition has been a “disaster,” and a regulated sales model for cannabis—similar to how alcohol and tobacco are handled—could serve as an effective alternative.

A Republican Pennsylvania senator also recently defended the push to legalize and regulate marijuana, calling it “the most conservative stance” on the issue.

Colorado Governor Grants Mass Psilocybin Pardon Following Voters’ Approval Of Psychedelics Legalization At The Ballot

Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

VA sec visits psychedelics research center; CO psilocybin pardons; TX hemp ban poll; MN’s 1st marijuana licenses

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins visited a psychedelics research facility, saying it’s his “promise” to do what it takes to explore the substances’ benefits for military veterans—even if it’s going to “take some changes in Congress.”

The Congressional Research Service said in a new report that lawmakers themselves could reschedule marijuana with “greater speed and flexibility” compared to an ongoing administrative process—while also avoiding judicial and international treaty challenges.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced he is pardoning all past psilocybin possession convictions, following voters’ approval of a psychedelics legalization law and the legislature’s passage of a bill clearing the way for gubernatorial clemency.

A new survey from Trump pollster Fabrizio, Lee & Associates shows that Texas voters across party lines oppose a bill to criminalize consumable hemp products with any amount of THC that’s on Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) desk.

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management issued the state’s first recreational marijuana license to Herb Quest, LLC, an outdoor cultivation microbusiness.

The Rhode Island House Corporations Committee amended a bill to restrict hemp-derived THC drinks by replacing its text with a resolution  calling on the Cannabis Control Commission and other officials to issue recommendations for intoxicating hemp product rules.

An Iowa representative said Gov. Kim Reynolds’s (R) veto of a bill to let doctors prescribe a form of psilocybin after federal approval was “unexpected” and that he looks forward to “having a conversation” with her “to learn more about her concerns.”

Texas military veterans are concerned that if Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs a bill to ban consumable hemp products with THC that’s on his desk, they will need to return to opioids or the illegal marijuana market to treat their pain.

/ FEDERAL

The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an article about a teen whose “experience with drugs began with cannabis, but…moved on to ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that has hallucinogenic effects.”

Former Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) authored a letter to the editor about bipartisan public support for cannabis reform.

/ STATES

Nebraska’s attorney general sent cease and desist letters to 82 stores allegedly selling illegal THC products.

The New Jersey Assembly Labor Committee approved a bill to protect cannabis business employees’ rights to join a union.

A Delaware senator discussed his bill to limit local restrictions on marijuana businesses.

Oklahoma representatives congratulated the state’s top medical marijuana regulator for being named president of the Cannabis Regulators Association.

Colorado regulators sent a bulletin about a recall of marijuana products that contain pesticides above  acceptable limits.

Minnesota regulators will post a list of tax-delinquent cannabis businesses on July 15.

Vermont regulators said they will soon publish guidance about medical cannabis product packaging and labeling.

Massachusetts regulators are continuing to work on rules for cannabis social consumption businesses.

New York regulators are conducting a survey on cannabis education and technical assistance.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

/ LOCAL

New York City’s mayor said former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who is also running for mayor, “put a bad law in place” with marijuana legalization.

/ INTERNATIONAL

New Zealand’s associate health minister announced that officials approved the prescription of medical psilocybin outside of clinical trials.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study underscores “the potential of CBD-enriched cannabis oil and ω-3 as a novel therapeutic approach for neuropathic pain management, offering promising implications for future research and clinical practice.”

A study of rats suggested that “CBDne exerts broad neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, targeting central and peripheral α-synucleinopathies and oxidative damage” and that “its ability to modulate inflammation, oxidative stress and protein aggregation highlights its therapeutic potential for controlling the motor and non-motor symptoms of” Parkinson’s Disease.

/ BUSINESS

Aurora Cannabis Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of C$90.5 million and a net loss from continuing operations of C$17.2 million.

Gotham Dispensary workers in Brooklyn, New York voted to join Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW.

Cookies was awarded $22.7 million by a California judge in a dispute with Cookies Retail.

cPort Credit Union is discontinuing banking services for Maine medical cannabis caregivers not affiliated with licensed businesses.

/ CULTURE

Jimmy Kimmel and Jon Stewart played a game of “Who’s High?”

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

A Delaware lawmaker has pulled a bill that sought to restrict the sale of intoxicating hemp products to state-licensed cannabis stores and only allow sales of cannabis-infused beverages at liquor stores, WHYY News reports. State Rep. Debra Heffernan (D) indicated she pulled the proposal after pushback from CBD store owners, customers, and cannabis advocates, but that she plans to create a new bill “in the coming months” for consideration next session.  

“While I still believe in the importance of increasing safety testing and ensuring age verification for cannabinoid intoxicating products, I believe that further and wider conversations need to be had with business owners in this area and our new marijuana commissioner.” — Heffernan, in a statement posted to Facebook 

Joshua Sanderlin, Delaware’s Marijuana Commissioner, told WHYY News last week that he believes cannabis-infused drinks should be sold at retail dispensaries as long as they are produced in the state. He added that “there are no regulations” on intoxicating hemp products produced outside of Delaware and that “getting some” regulations and testing for the products “is the most important thing” facing regulators.    

Jena Murray, president of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable who works for a CBD company and is a resident of Delaware, told WHYY that an email campaign by her organization’s members and media stories led to Heffernan’s decision to pull the bill. She said the hemp industry in the state is looking forward to assisting in crafting “a bill that is really comprehensive and robust to protect children and adults as well.”  

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