A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would make marijuana legal for adults over 21 years old. Pennsylvania should be a leader in cannabis reform and pass this law.

Cannabis prohibition laws have been a failure on every level. Nonetheless, public opinion has finally shifted in favor of reversing this misguided policy. Pennsylvania has several politicians on both sides of the aisle who support ending cannabis prohibition and replacing it with a system in which consumers can purchase cannabis from regulated, licensed businesses instead of illegal sources.

Legalizing recreational marijuana would open up new markets for banking and insurance, bring back sales tax revenue from underground sales into state coffers, and allow people who want to use cannabis to purchase it like alcohol or tobacco.

Pennsylvanians want reforms that include full legalization, not just decriminalization or medical use of marijuana.

When we enforce and continue to enforce drug laws that prohibit possession of small amounts of cannabis, we clog our court dockets, overcrowd our prisons, and hold down individuals and communities who need support, opportunities, and investments the most.

The fact that more than 44 million Americans live in states with medical cannabis laws and eight states (and Washington, D.C.) with a complete end to cannabis prohibition is no surprise that legislators from all over the country are taking notice and attempting to pass cannabis reform legislation in their states. Pennsylvania has not been an exception in this regard.