Pennsylvania: An Island of Prohibition
08/11/2023
Philadelphia, a city with a sizeable cannabis-consuming population, ranks 15th among 140 cities worldwide. Annually, it consumes an astonishing 10.6 metric tons, approximately 23,369 pounds, of marijuana. Despite these staggering figures, the city's consumption is dwarfed when compared to New York City, whose annual consumption reaches 62.3 metric tons. These figures, collected by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, clearly establish an urgent need for policy reevaluation.
Pennsylvania, the home state of Philadelphia, has permitted the use of medical marijuana since 2016, with over a million registered patients. Yet, the state has fallen short of fully legalizing marijuana, unlike its neighboring states.
This has rendered Pennsylvania an island of prohibition on the east coast, flanked by states that have fully legalized marijuana. The call for change echoes louder than ever following the introduction of bipartisan legislation by state senators, aiming to legalize recreational cannabis usage for those aged 21 and over.
The urgency for policy action is further underpinned by Philadelphia's exorbitant marijuana prices. A gram of marijuana in Philadelphia costs around $11.30, ranking it as the 10th most expensive city in the country for cannabis. While legalization won't immediately bring down prices, the experience of other states shows that prices often decrease as the market matures and supply increases.
The high consumption rates and prices of marijuana in Philadelphia underscore the critical necessity for legislative change. Pennsylvania's current status as a prohibition island is untenable, and full legalization is a step towards a more balanced and regulated market. This shift will not only resonate with the city's large cannabis consumer base but also has the potential to generate significant tax revenue for the state. As the call for legalization grows louder, it seems time for Pennsylvania to consider joining its neighboring states in fully legalizing marijuana.
Reference
Pennsylvania, the home state of Philadelphia, has permitted the use of medical marijuana since 2016, with over a million registered patients. Yet, the state has fallen short of fully legalizing marijuana, unlike its neighboring states.
This has rendered Pennsylvania an island of prohibition on the east coast, flanked by states that have fully legalized marijuana. The call for change echoes louder than ever following the introduction of bipartisan legislation by state senators, aiming to legalize recreational cannabis usage for those aged 21 and over.
The urgency for policy action is further underpinned by Philadelphia's exorbitant marijuana prices. A gram of marijuana in Philadelphia costs around $11.30, ranking it as the 10th most expensive city in the country for cannabis. While legalization won't immediately bring down prices, the experience of other states shows that prices often decrease as the market matures and supply increases.
The high consumption rates and prices of marijuana in Philadelphia underscore the critical necessity for legislative change. Pennsylvania's current status as a prohibition island is untenable, and full legalization is a step towards a more balanced and regulated market. This shift will not only resonate with the city's large cannabis consumer base but also has the potential to generate significant tax revenue for the state. As the call for legalization grows louder, it seems time for Pennsylvania to consider joining its neighboring states in fully legalizing marijuana.
Reference
