Pennsylvania
Weed in Pennsylvania – where does the issue stand?
PHILADELPHIA – Pennsylvania lawmakers have aimed to chip away at the state’s firm stance criminalizing recreational marijuana for nearly a decade as it stands increasingly alone amidst shifts to legalization in neighboring New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Ohio.
State House representatives Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) and Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) pushed to legalize recreational use Monday in bipartisan proposal House Bill 2500, which cites market competition such as new dispensaries in Ohio after its own recent policy change. The bill would let dispensaries sell to recreational customers and create a board to regulate the industry.
Governor Josh Shapiro says he also seeks to sign a bill legalizing marijuana in July after arguing the move could generate $250 million in annual state revenue during a February budget address. The budget would add a 20% tax on marijuana sales to Pennsylvania’s existing 6% sales tax.
Although two-thirds of Pennsylvanians support legal marijuana according to a February poll by Franklin and Marshall College, passing a bill before the June 30 budget deadline could prove challenging for Shapiro.
Shapiro’s plan has faced pushback in Pennsylvania’s republican-controlled senate, as did former governor Tom Wolf’s efforts to expand the Medical Marijuana Act he signed into law in April 2016 and later his campaign for full legalization.
As of June 2024, medical cannabis can only be legally purchased at state-approved dispensaries by Pennsylvanians with patient cards who are doctor-certified as having qualifying medical conditions.
However, a three-bill package unanimously passed last June in the Senate Law and Justice Committee would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for all medical conditions, eliminate the need to annually renew patient cards and let licensed marijuana growers sell directly to patients.
Pennsylvania’s medical-use laws have changed numerous times since its first dispensary opened in February 2018, such as adding dry leaf and flower to its allowances for pill, oil, vapor, ointment and liquid forms and increasing the sale quantity limit from one month’s worth to three.
The medical marijuana program has proven lucrative for the state, raising $132 million in sales during its first year and a total of $6 billion as of May 2024, according to the Department of Health.
Possession of nonmedical marijuana, however, is a misdemeanor in the state punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for 30 grams or fewer and a year in jail with $5,000 in fines for more. Notable exceptions Philadelphia and Pittsburgh decriminalized possession of under 30 grams.
Pennsylvania lawmakers have explored releasing offenders convicted of marijuana possession, with Philadelphia democratic senator Sharif Street joining Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) last July to advocate for a legal marijuana industry led by the Department of Agriculture and expungement of past convictions in Senate Bill 846.
Wolf also encouraged thousands of Pennsylvanians with low-level marijuana convictions to apply for “one-time, large-scale pardon effort” in September 2022, near the end of his tenure.
Shapiro recently supported the U.S. Drug Enforcement Association’s move to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug, which would not lift the federal ban on cannabis but would recognize its medical uses and relatively low potential for abuse.
LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Cherries, strawberries, peaches — normally all easy to find at local farms this time of the year — but some orchards are still feeling the impact of a freeze that killed many of those fruits.
What’s normally a busy season is a quiet one for the Honey Bear Orchard after an April freeze took all their fruit crops for this year.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | ‘It just froze them’: Honey Bear Orchards loses $200K, fruit crops in April freeze
“We usually start Father’s Day with sweet cherries … and that day, it has just grown into a big day for us,” owner Nelson Heagy said. “Sometimes, the cars are lined up the whole way in the lane, 3 to 400 cars come in that day. Tomorrow it’s going to be quiet.”
The night of April 20, temperatures in Lebanon County dropped below 24 degrees — a devastating blow to farms whose fruit trees were unable to survive the cold temperatures.
In less than 24 hours, Honey Bear Orchards lost dozens of acres of fruit, including cherries, apricots, apples and peaches.
At the time, the orchard estimated it lost around $200,000, but Heagy says that’s not the worst part.
“It’s more the emotional, because financially, yes, we’re geared up for that and it’s meeting the people.”
After Gov. Josh Shapiro called on the USDA to help out Pennsylvania counties impacted by this freeze, the agency announced several counties were eligible for disaster assistance in the form of emergency loans.
READ MORE | Six PA counties included in disaster designation for farmers affected by April freeze
Adams, Chester, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster and York counties are included.
Absent from that list is Lebanon County, where Honey Bear Orchards is located.
We reached out to the USDA to ask why Lebanon County wasn’t included, but we haven’t heard back yet.
However, Heagy says it’s likely because there’s only two orchards in the county.
“A lot of people reached out and said, ‘What can we do?’” he said. “And it’s simply come back next year.”
They’re not the only farm that has to make do this season — Forge Hill Orchards in York County lost half of its crop in the April freeze.
Despite that, retail manager Abby Naylor says they’re lucky because they still have a little bit of everything.
“I think the best thing that people can do is just to buy local and help support the farmers that really lost a lot of their stuff.”
The Pennsylvania Beef Council recently launched the inaugural Pennsylvania Beef Trail with menu tastings at two highlighted trail stops in Berks County.
Held in May to celebrate Beef Month, the event brought together Pennsylvania Beef Council leadership, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, local restaurant partners, beef producers and community members to celebrate Pennsylvania beef, local food businesses and the culinary creativity found across the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Beef Trail highlights restaurants across the state serving standout beef dishes nominated by consumers. Hosted on the Pennsylvania Beef Council website, the trail features an interactive map designed to help Pennsylvanians discover delicious beef dishes by region and plan their own beef-inspired dining experiences.
“The PA Beef Trail is a celebration of everything that makes Pennsylvania beef special: the farmers who raise it, the restaurants that prepare it and the consumers who love it,” Nichole Hockenberry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Beef Council, said in the release.
“Launching the trail during May, which is Beef Month, gave us the perfect opportunity to showcase the connection between agriculture, local businesses, and the meals that bring people together.”
The celebration featured two stops on the trail: Saucony Creek Brewing Company in Kutztown and Deitsch Eck Restaurant in Lenhartsville.
Attendees sampled a variety of featured beef dishes, including pit beef sliders, sausage sandwiches, smoked chuck roast tacos, and Golden Arches flatbread from Saucony Creek Brewing Company, as well as beef pot pie, shepherd’s pie, and The Luther from Deitsch Eck Restaurant.
The launch event also underscored the role of beef in Pennsylvania’s agricultural identity and local economy. By highlighting restaurants that serve creative, consumer-loved beef dishes, the trail encourages residents and visitors to support local businesses while recognizing the farmers and producers behind every plate.
“Pennsylvania beef has a story that stretches from pasture to plate,” Kylie Lusk, director of consumer affairs for the Pennsylvania Beef Council, said in the release. “The PA Beef Trail gives consumers a fun, interactive way to explore that story while discovering restaurants and dishes they may not have tried before. We’re excited to see people use the trail throughout the year to support local restaurants and celebrate beef across the Commonwealth.”
The inaugural PA Beef Trail features 73 stops across Pennsylvania, showcasing a wide variety of dishes, from burgers and brisket to short rib, oxtail ragu and other creative beef-forward menu items. Organized by region, the trail makes it easy for consumers to find nearby stops or plan a road trip around Pennsylvania’s beef destinations.
The Pennsylvania Beef Council encourages consumers to explore the trail, visit participating restaurants, and share their experiences on social media.
To view the interactive map and explore the full PA Beef Trail, visit www.pabeef.org/pa-beef-trail.
President Trump is visiting the Lehigh Valley next week.
Mr. Trump will speak at Mack Trucks in Macungie, Pennsylvania, Tuesday at 2 p.m. Macungie is roughly 10 miles from Allentown.
Mack Trucks is a 1.7 million square-foot facility in Macungie that assembles heavy-duty trucks for North American and export markets, according to its website.
“Mack Trucks are a symbol of America’s manufacturing strength,” Rep. Dan Meuser said in a Facebook post about Mr. Trump’s upcoming visit to Pennsylvania. “Their Lehigh Valley operations are a pillar of the local economy, employing Pennsylvania workers and driving the nation’s trucking industry.”
In the lead-up to the 2024 election, Mr. Trump visited Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, multiple times. He’s also visitied during his second term.
In December 2025, Mr. Trump said in a speech in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, that he was “crushing” inflation and called affordability concerns a “Democratic hoax.”
One week later, Vice President JD Vance aimed to calm the affordability concerns at a Uline facility in Alburtis, about 13 miles southwest of Allentown.
Tickets are available for Mr. Trump’s visit to Macungie next week on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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