Pennsylvania

Pa. marijuana laws: Here’s what you need to know

Published

2 years ago

June 8, 2024

Pa. marijuana laws: Here’s what you need to know

Last year, a comprehensive bipartisan bill co-sponsored by state Sen. Dan Laughlin, a Republican who represents Erie, and state Sen. Sharif Street, a Democrat who represents Philadelphia, was introduced. The Pennsylvania Legislature operates on a two-year cycle, so bills can stay alive for that long.

The bipartisan bill would legalize marijuana for adult use, ban marketing to children, create a state regulatory board and a social equity program, and impose an 8% sales tax in addition to a 5% excise tax on dispensary sales, among other things.

“We’re negotiating what the form and function of adult use is going to look like. I think most folks recognized that Pennsylvania is moving towards recreational adult use,” said Street. “I’m cautiously optimistic that there will be an amendment and there’s a good possibility that a bill will be passed this session. We haven’t quite reached consensus on all the language of the bill.”

In July 2023, the bill was referred to the Law and Justice Committee.

State Sen. Mike Regan, a York County Republican, is the chair of the Law and Justice committee. Regan has publicly supported marijuana reform bills and recreational legislation but has not scheduled the bipartisan bill for a hearing.

Meanwhile, a companion bill to legalize adult-use marijuana was introduced in the House by state Rep. Amen Brown, a Philadelphia Democrat. It was referred to the Health Committee.

State Rep. Dan Frankel, a Democrat who serves Allegheny County, is the chair of the Health Committee. While Rep. Frankel supports adult-use legalization, his committee has not held a hearing on Brown’s companion bill for a vote.

“We wanted to take a very deliberative approach in the health committee about doing this so we’ve now had six hearings on the issue,” Frankel said, “to hopefully avoid some of the mistakes we’ve seen in other states.”

Instead, Frankel expects to introduce his own legislation for adult-use marijuana in the coming weeks for consideration, which could be referred to the same committee he chairs.

Another issue at stake concerns smoke shops that take advantage of a legal loophole and sell hemp-derived Delta-8 THC products, which are unregulated in Pennsylvania. These products “undermine the medical marijuana marketplace and would be a problem moving forward with respect to the adult-use market,” he said.

Frankel was similarly concerned about the quality of a social equity program that forced independent dispensaries to compete with established multi-state operators when the start-up cost was high and existing medical dispensaries could easily sell adult-use products immediately.

“It’s going to be very hard in the long run to prevent vertical integration of this industry similar to what we’ve seen in the tobacco industry, I think ultimately it’s going to consolidate,” he said. “The idea that there’s going to be a lot of independent players in the marketplace is unrealistic.”

Frankel suggested earmarking revenue for communities most impacted by the criminalization of marijuana and creating more laboratory testing for marijuana products to ensure safety.

“I think there’s a grudging sense that this needs to be done now, whether [all Republicans] end up voting for it or not.”

Buettner, of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, an industry advocacy group, said she’s optimistic this year is “the closest we’ve ever been” to adult-use legislation.

“I think it’s more likely that we see the House take this issue up and get a vehicle through committee,” she said.

If any recreational marijuana bill passes through the state legislature, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would sign it into law.

How much does medical marijuana cost in Pa.?

The retail cost of medical marijuana has declined from $14.90 per gram in 2021 to $8.26 in 2024.

The average cost for one-eighth of an ounce of medical marijuana — a common quantity — ranges between $40 and $50. For edible medical marijuana products, it costs between $20 and $40 for a package of 10 gummies or dissolvable pills.

Buettner, of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, attributed the price reduction as multifaceted: increased supply, larger and more experienced growing operations and more customers in the market.

Is there a Pa. medical marijuana dispensary near me?

There are 181 medical marijuana dispensaries statewide and 32 medical marijuana growers and processors.

Zoning restrictions limit where dispensaries can operate, even inside the city of Philadelphia.

How much is marijuana taxed in Pa.?

For patients, there’s no tax levied on medical marijuana sales.

The state collects 5% of the gross receipts of medical marijuana sales from the grower or processor to the dispensary. That wouldn’t change under any recreational marijuana proposal.

Gov. Shapiro has included recreational marijuana in his budget for the past two years with an estimated tax rate of 20%. But the current proposed recreational marijuana bill in the legislature would levy an 8% sales tax in addition to a 5% excise tax for a total of 13%.

Industry advocate Buettner said that an effective tax rate of 13% is feasible considering what the surrounding states are charging, and there would be room for local municipalities to add their own taxes without scaring away consumers.

“We want to try and pull those consumers that we already know are traveling out of state to purchase cannabis and bring them back here to Pennsylvania,” she said.

Can you be hired or fired for using medical marijuana in Pa.?

The law passed in 2016 gas some labor protections for patients, barring employers from refusing to hire or firing individuals based on their status as a medical marijuana patient. But employers are allowed to enforce rules around use at work.

Can you grow medical marijuana plants at home in Pa.?

]aNo. It’s a felony to cultivate marijuana in Pennsylvania as an individual. Violators face a $15,000 fine and jail time.

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Pennsylvania

Man in critical condition after argument turns to shooting in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

Published

44 minutes ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Man in critical condition after argument turns to shooting in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

Investigators say the dispute escalated into gunfire.

Saturday, December 13, 2025 2:03PM

Man critical after argument turns to shooting in Lansdowne

LANSDOWNE, Pa., (WPVI) — An argument between two groups turned violent late Friday night in Delaware County, leaving one person fighting for their life.

The shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. along the unit block of South Wycombe Avenue in Lansdowne.

Investigators say the dispute escalated into gunfire, striking one individual who was rushed to the hospital and is now listed in critical condition.

Police recovered a firearm at the scene, but so far, no arrests have been made.

Authorities have not released the identity of the victim or any details about what sparked the confrontation.

Detectives are continuing to investigate and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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Pennsylvania

Vallejo man suspected of fatally shooting wife arrested in Pennsylvania

Published

13 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Vallejo man suspected of fatally shooting wife arrested in Pennsylvania

A man suspected of fatally shooting his wife at their Vallejo home was tracked to Pennsylvania and arrested, authorities said.

The Vallejo Police Department said in a press release that officers responded to a missing person report on Tuesday evening on the the 1000 block of Oakwood Avenue. A friend had reported her coworker had not shown up for work, and the friend was worried about her well-being after a recent argument with her husband. The friend told officers her friend had recently gone to a mutual friend’s residence after her husband had threatened to kill her.

Police conducted a welfare check at the missing person’s apartment, but no one answered the door, police said, and none of the neighbors reported any disturbances from the residence. An automated license plate reader indicated that her vehicle was last seen traveling in West Vallejo, and attempts to contact both the missing person and her husband by phone were unsuccessful, police said.

On Wednesday evening, a maintenance worker at the apartment complex entered the missing person’s residence and found her unresponsive and he called 911. Officers arrived and found she had been shot to death at the scene, police said. The woman’s husband, 45-year-old Vallejo resident Zheer Queja Malassab of Vallejo, was identified as the suspect.

Zheer Queja Malassab

Vallejo Police Department

A search for the victim’s vehicle led to the discovery that it traveled to Pennsylvania, and detectives contacted the Pennsylvania State Police, informing them of a be-on-the-lookout alert and the vehicle’s last known location.

Pennsylvania State Police located the vehicle and and tried to pull it over in snowy conditions, but the driver sped away, police said. Due to the conditions, the driver was ultimately forced to stop and surrender. Zheer was arrested without incident, and he admitted to shooting his wife after he was read his Miranda rights, police said.

Zheer is currently waiting to be extradited to California, where he will face charges of murder and will be booked into the Solano County Jail.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Detective Stephanie Diaz at (707) 648-5430 or at Stephanie.Diaz@cityofvallejo.net, or Detective Zach Horton at (707) 648-5425 or Zach.Horton@cityofvallejo.net. Anonymous tipsters can call the tip line at 800-488-9383.

It was the city’s 17th homicide of 2025.

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Pennsylvania

These new 2026 health care laws are taking effect in Pa., N.J. and Del.

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

These new 2026 health care laws are taking effect in Pa., N.J. and Del.

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

This past year, lawmakers in the Delaware Valley pursued changes to health care policies and regulations that will expand access to prescription drug savings, ensure coverage for breast cancer imaging, reaffirm lead testing requirements, increase breastfeeding support in prisons and more.

Here are some new health care laws coming to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that will be in place or take effect in 2026.

Pennsylvania

Medicaid coverage for weight loss medication

The Pennsylvania state budget increases funding in several areas, but will cut costs by limiting coverage for glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound for people in the Medicaid insurance program beginning Jan. 1.

The state’s Medicaid program, called Medical Assistance, will no longer cover GLP-1 drugs solely for obesity and weight loss, but will continue to do so for people with diabetes and other health conditions.

Pennsylvania started paying for GLP-1 drugs for obesity in 2023. But the cost to the state rose as an increasing number of enrollees obtained prescriptions.

The commonwealth spent $650 million for GLP-1 drugs in Medicaid, for all reasons, in 2024, according to state officials. Lawmakers estimate it would soon cost over $1 billion annually.

Naloxone distribution by emergency responders

Emergency responders like emergency medical service workers can leave packages of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, with families and caregivers at the site of a 911 call or other treatment response.

The law codifies an executive order signed by former Gov. Tom Wolfe in 2018, which established a standing order allowing emergency responders to not only use naloxone to reverse an overdose, but to leave additional doses with others at the scene.

However, executive orders are temporary and can expire or be reversed by a sitting governor. The new law now makes this policy permanent and strengthens protections for EMS workers.

The legislation also increases transparency in prescription prices and costs. When asked by a customer, pharmacists must disclose the current retail price for band name and generic versions of any medication being picked up.

They also must help customers and patients figure out their out-of-pocket costs for brand-name and generic options.

All parts of the law will be in effect by July 2026.

Prescription savings programs for seniors

Seniors who save money on their prescriptions through state assistance programs will get to stay in those programs even if their annual incomes go over the eligibility limits because of a bump in their Social Security payments.

A law passed this year ensures that Social Security cost-of-living adjustments will not disqualify someone from participating in the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly and the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Needs Enhancement Tier program.

The moratorium on Social Security cost-of-living adjustment income increases will last from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027.

“The PACE and PACENET programs play an important role in supporting older adults and offering tremendous savings by helping them pay for their prescription medications,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich said in a statement. “This new law will allow older Pennsylvanians to remain eligible for this benefit which provides them with lifesaving medication and a cost savings to their fixed incomes.”

Diagnostic mammogram and breast cancer imaging

A new law requires insurers to cover follow-up testing for women who need additional imaging after an abnormal mammogram, including an MRI or ultrasound.

While annual mammograms are fully covered by insurance, additional diagnostic testing can come with high costs, which cancer activists say can delay an early diagnosis of breast cancer.

The expanded coverage will apply to insurance plans and policies that are issued or renewed starting summer 2026.

“With early detection and diagnostic imaging, we have the tools to limit the harm caused by cancer and the suffering it brings to families across the Commonwealth,” Donna Greco, Pennsylvania government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said in a statement.

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