Thisis provingto be a big year for cannabis. As a result, we are ranking the fifty states from worst to best on how they treat cannabis and those who consume it. Each of our State of Cannabis posts will analyze one state and our final post will crown the best state for cannabis. As is always the case, but particularly so with this series, we welcome your comments. Now that we have crossed the half-way point, the states featured going forward generally have mixed laws when it comes to cannabis. Some good, some bad, and some ugly. Today we turn to number 16: Pennsylvania.
Our previous rankings are as follows: 17. Delaware; 18. Michigan; 19. New Hampshire; 20. Ohio; 21.New Jersey; 22.Illinois;23.Minnesota; 24.New York; 25.Wisconsin; 26.Arizona; 27.West Virginia; 28.Indiana; 29.North Carolina; 30.Utah; 31.South Carolina; 32.Tennessee; 33.North Dakota; 34.Georgia; 35.Louisiana; 36.Mississippi; 37.Nebraska; 38.Missouri;39.Florida; 40.Arkansas; 41.Montana;42.Iowa; 43.Virginia; 44.Wyoming; 45.Texas; 46.Kansas; 47.Alabama; 48.Idaho; 49.Oklahoma; 50.South Dakota.
Pennsylvania
Criminal penalties. Pennsylvania punishes possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana with a maximum sentence of 30 days in prison and a potential fine of $500. Possession of any larger amount can earn 1-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.
Penalties for selling marijuana increase based on the amount of the plant:
- Under 30 grams, transferred without remuneration, earns up to 30 days in prison and a $500 fine.
- 2-10 pounds earns up to one year in prison and a $25,000 maximum fine.
- 10-1,000 pounds earns up to 3 years in prison and a $25,000 maximum fine.
- Over 1,000 pounds earns up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 maximum.
However, the penalties for marijuana crimes may soon change. Pennsylvania lawmakers have discussed decriminalizing the possession of small amount of marijuana. Governor Tom Wolf recentlycome out in supportlimiting penalties for cannabis:
There are a lot of reasons to look at decriminalization. I think thats something that I support. I believe, for a number of reasons, that we ought to decriminalize marijuana use. I think our prisons are over-crowded as a result of people going to jail for reasons that, you know, we break up families for reasons that we shouldnt.
Medical marijuana. On April 17, 2016, Governor Wolf signed SB3, authorizing a medical marijuana program in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health will implement the medical cannabis program. The Governors office expects implementation to take 18-24 months.
Patients with a qualifying condition may receive a physicians authorization to use medicinal cannabis. The patient then must register with the state and obtain an identification card. The following serious medical conditions qualify a patient for medical marijuana:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Autism
- Cancer
- Crohns Disease
- Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) / AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
- Huntingtons Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome
- Intractable Seizures
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuropathies
- Parkinsons Disease
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain in which conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or ineffective
- Sickle Cell Anemia
Patients will purchase their cannabis medicine from medical marijuana dispensaries. The bill also allows universities to research the medical benefits of cannabis.
Bottomline.Pennsylvania shows promise in its marijuana policy. Sinceit is the sixth largest state in the country, reform goes a long way in the ...
