Pennsylvania: Market and legal data of the cannabis sector

8th February 2024: US - Pennsylvania: Democratic governor Josh Shapiro is calling for the legalisation of recreational cannabis in the state as a way to boost tax revenue, press reports. Although Democrats recently gained control in the state House of Representatives, Republicans still control the state Senate, which makes it unlikely that legalisation will happen in the near future.
18th December 2023: US - Pennsylvania: Senate bill (SB) 773 has been signed into law by governor Josh Shapiro. SB 773 significantly expands the state’s medical cannabis programme by allowing medical cannabis cultivation licensees to open dispensaries and allowing dispensary licensees to cultivate medical cannabis.
15th December 2023: US - Pennsylvania: Senate bill (SB) 773 has been passed by the legislature and sent to the governor for final approval. SB 773 would significantly expand the state’s medical cannabis programme by allowing medical cannabis cultivation licensees to open dispensaries and allowing dispensary licensees to cultivate medical cannabis.
17th August 2023: US - Pennsylvania: A series of enforcement actions and at least one arrest by local authorities over the sale of delta-8 THC products has made some companies stop their sales of such products and even move their businesses to another state, press reports. Some prosecutors consider delta-8 THC illegal in the state, while some industry members contend the legislation is not so clear. CannIntelligence has analysed Pennsylvania law and concluded that the legality of delta-8 THC is unclear. We have requested clarification from Pennsylvania authorities.
18th October 2022: US - Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture is calling for proposals from nonprofit marketing firms "for projects aimed at increasing sales, export or consumer awareness of Pennsylvania hemp products". A total award of $200,000 in matching funds for projects will be granted.
12th July 2022: US - Pennsylvania: House Bill 331, which protects financial institutions and insurers who deal with state-legal cannabis businesses, has been signed into law by governor Tom Wolf. The bill specifically includes businesses that deal with hemp-derived cannabinoids in its protection.
4th July 2022: US - Pennsylvania: House Bill 331, which would protect financial institutions and insurers who deal with state-legal cannabis businesses, has been passed by the Senate and now heads to the governor for final approval.
30th June 2022: US - Pennsylvania: Lehigh County district attorney Jim Martin has sent warning letters to retailers of hemp-derived products saying that those with more than 0.3% delta-9 THC and any concentration of delta-8 THC or other THC isomers are illegal, press reports. A task force in the county has also seized many products after consent searches. Martin claims that THC isomer products are illegal in the state because of the THC definition in the controlled substances statute. However, CBD-Intel does not see the illegality of such products clearly established in Pennsylvania since part of the state hemp statute reads: “An activity conducted in compliance with this chapter shall not be in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth”.
19th April 2022: US - Pennsylvania: Senate Bill 1167 was passed by the Senate and now heads to the House. The bill would protect financial institutions from being penalised by state authorities for working with state-legal medical cannabis businesses.
28th March 2022: US - Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) voted last week to prohibit beer and wine retail licensees from selling CBD edibles because the sale of such products is not permitted in the state, local media reports. The PLCB had previously allowed such sales, to compete with a chain of convenience stores that was selling edible CBD products.

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