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Our View: Addiction treatment centers an unfortunate reality of our times

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<p>A Pittsburgh-area lawmaker is introducing a bill that would legalize marijuana use in Pennsylvania and &#8220;address decades of social injustice.&#8221;</p><p>State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, on Monday described his proposed <a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2019&amp;sind=0&amp;body=H&amp;type=B&amp;bn=0050" target="_blank">House Bill 50</a> as &#8220;the most comprehensive adult-use cannabis legalization bill to date,&#8221; <a href="http://www.pahouse.com/Wheatley/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=104490" target="_blank">according to a statement on his website</a>.</p><p>The legislation would expunge the records of individuals who would retroactively have been able to legally possess marijuana, he explained. It would also give them automatic reinstatement of drivers licenses and professional licenses surrendered as a result of marijuana possession convictions.</p><p>&#8220;This is not just about cannabis,&#8221; Wheatley said during a press conference in Harrisburg. &#8220;It&#8217;s about making sure we are righting some of the wrongs of a failed war on drugs.&#8221;</p><p>More than that, he believes it would provide cash flow for the state.</p><p>&#8220;Right now we believe the bill could raise between $500 million to $600 million of general revenue per year,&#8221; Wheately added, citing Auditor General Eugene DePasquale&#8217;s estimates that marijuana could generate more than $580 million annually for the state.</p><p>Wheatley said he would like to see such revenue used for things such as assisting Pennsylvanians with student loan debt, as well as to support affordable housing and after-school programs for children and families.</p><p>&#8220;Gov. Tom Wolf has stated he is open to taking a serious look at legalization,&#8221; Wheately added. &#8220;I applaud his statement on this issue and believe my bill is a real opportunity for the General Assembly to seriously consider legalizing cannabis.</p><p>New Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman last month announced he was going on a 67-county listening tour to hear what Pennsylvanians have to say about legalization of recreational marijuana.</p><p>All of the 26 other lawmakers listed as sponsors on HB50 are, like Wheatley, Democrats, and some Republicans already are known to be staunch opponents of the idea.</p><p>Wheatley said, however, that polls show &#8220;a majority of citizens recognize the once-ugly stigma of cannabis is now just a part of history and want the commonwealth to move into the future.&#8221;</p><p><a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/12/pot-in-pennsylvania-yes-theres-strong-public-support-for-recreational-marijuana.html" target="_blank">As PennLive pointed out in a December story</a>, A Franklin &amp; Marshall College poll in September 2017 showed 59 percent of those surveyed support allowing marijuana for recreational use.</p><p><a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/243908/two-three-americans-support-legalizing-marijuana.aspx" target="_blank">A Gallup Poll last fall found that two in three Americans now support legalization</a>.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">A Pittsburgh-area lawmaker has announced the introduction of a bill that would legalize adult use of cannabis in Pennsylvania. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_cannabis.jpg</photo0><caption0>A Pittsburgh-area lawmaker has announced the introduction of a bill that would legalize adult use of cannabis in Pennsylvania. </caption0><photoCredit0>File photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Roger DuPuis</p><p>rdupuis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Western Pa. lawmaker introduces bill to legalize recreational marijuana