In his annual budget proposal Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro once again urged the state legislature to send him a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis for adults. "Everyone knows we need to get this done, so let's come together and finally get it over the finish line," Shapiro said.
Shapiro's proposal echoes past calls for the divided legislature to reach consensus on marijuana legalization. With the exception of West Virginia, every state bordering Pennsylvania now has an adult-use cannabis program generating millions of dollars in annual tax revenue and saving money through criminal justice reform. Shapiro's budget estimates cannabis would bring Pennsylvania $729.4 million in the first year of implementation from taxes and one-time licensing fees.
"Pennsylvania remains stuck in place, without commonsense protections and losing out on critical tax revenue and new business to neighboring states," the Shapiro administration wrote in its budget request to lawmakers.
Cannabis advocates, who have spent years pushing for reform in Pennsylvania, shared mixed feelings about the state's outlook in 2026.
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