A ballot measure calling on state leaders to decriminalize marijuana in Pennsylvania enjoyed strong support from Philadelphia’s voters on Tuesday, receiving more than 72 percent of ballots cast in a citywide election.
Philadelphia’s Question 1 amends the Philadelphia Home Charter to call on the governor and the Pennsylvania General Assembly “to pass legislation that would decriminalize, regulate and tax the use and sale to adults aged 21 years or older, of cannabis for non-medical purposes.” The measure does not by itself change state law or substantially impact the residents of Philadelphia, which effectively decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis seven years ago.
A ‘Loud Message’ for State Lawmakers
As of early Wednesday afternoon local time, Question 1 had received more than 129,000 votes, or 72.73 percent of ballots cast, with more than 96 percent of precincts reporting results.
Pennsylvania Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who is currently running for U.S. Senate, and has been an outspoken proponent of cannabis policy reform, visited all of the state’s 67 counties in 2019 to hold town hall meetings exploring issues surrounding the legalization of adult-use cannabis. He believes that it is time for state lawmakers to heed the continuing calls for marijuana legalization, including those expressed by Philadelphia’s voters in this week’s election.
“Philly sent a loud and clear message for legal weed, and so has Pennsylvania,” Fetterman wrote in a text message. “It dovetails perfectly with the first Republican sponsored bill to legalize weed in PA history,” referring to a bipartisan proposal from Democratic Senator Sharif Street of Philadelphia and Republican Senator Dan Laughlin of Erie.
“To borrow their phrase, ‘it’s inevitable,’” Fetterman added.