A bill that legalizes adult use cannabis passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with a 102 to 101 vote on party lines.

Democrats are touting success— this was the first time cannabis legalization had a vote on the House floor.

Still, obstacles remain.

Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers who support legalization, dislike that the bill adopts a state store model for selling cannabis products.

There are also still lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, that remain opposed to any cannabis legalization.

House Bill 1200 legalizes and regulates adult use cannabis. Democrats consulted experts in criminal justice, public health, and commercialization. They also examined the strengths and weaknesses of other state’s programs.

The 173 page bill language was released on Sunday night. A committee vote took place Monday. Second consideration on the House floor, along with amendment votes, took place on Tuesday. Most of the amendments were introduced by Republicans were ruled out of order, and none were approved by a majority.

The final vote was today.

“There was very little time to digest everything within the bill,” Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren) said, the minority chair of the House Health Committee. “It came out Sunday at 4:30pm, and I did not finish reading it until Monday night. But the committee vote was Monday afternoon."

The legislation updates the criminal code and has restorative measures for past marijuana related criminal records.

“Criminalization of cannabis does not work,” Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) said, the sponsor of HB 1200. "It does not deter usage. It does not promote safety. It is not in the best interest of the Commonwealth."

All House Republicans today voted against the bill. Many Republicans who made comments on the floor said they were opposed to any legalization. Rapp, who says cannabis harms people, referenced that the bill gives money to substance abuse programs

“When we're putting it right in the bill,,” Rapp said. “We are admitting that it's going to cause a problem.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday told lawmakers he opposes the bill, also referencing concerns that legalization will make substance abuse issues worse in the Commonwealth.

Legalization supporters say that usage is already common, and that regulations would promote safety.

“With legalization we have the opportunity to reign in a market that is completely deregulated in terms of potency, content, labeling, or advertising,” Krajewski said.  We can promote public health while also bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars that can be directed to communities hit the hardest by past criminalization."

While criminal justice elements of the bill are generally supported, the approach to business regulation is more divisive. House bill 1200 allows private business to grow and produce cannabis products, but only state owned stores could sell cannabis products to the general public. This is similar to how most alcohol in Pennsylvania is sold in the state owned stores of ‘Fine Wine & Good Spirits’. 

“To have them have to spend money to expand, retrain— and again, the government essentially controlling another industry,” Rep. Jesse Topper (R-Bedford) said, the minority leader of the House, “It’s not a good path forward, and really not a good way to start."

Many Republicans and Democrats oppose the state store model—some saying there could be consequences for state employees handling a substance that is still illegal at the federal level.

Senators who support legalization say the bill as is will not get traction in the upper chamber.

"I think there are a lot of things in that bill that are good,” Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) said, a co-sponsor of legalization legislation in the Senate. "I am not a fan of a state store model.”

Street said earlier this week that if the bill passed, it could be amended closer to what senate supporters had drafted.

“Them voting on this does show progress for legalization,” Street said.

Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), the co sponsor on Senate legalization legislation, posted on X that the idea of a state store model is “DOA”.

Local business owner Thomas Bobrowicz says the bill as is would force him to shut down his retail shop, BF Extracts Hometown Hemp Shop.

"We operate under federal and state hemp laws, including the 2018 Farm Bill and Pennsylvania’s own Department of Agriculture hemp program. Our products are compliant, tested, and legal — yet HB1200 treats them as if they were illicit substances."

The high cost of entry that the legislation would require from growers and producers would gate keep businesses like Bobrowicz store.