Musicians, together with rapper Wiz Khalifa, helped rejoice the inauguration of Pennsylvania’s new governor on Tuesday—and whereas it was a lighthearted affair, marijuana coverage got here up in delicate and less-than-subtle methods.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) listing of movie star attendees ran the gamut, however at the least two of them noticed a possibility to carry up hashish reform. After the indie band Mt. Pleasure completed its tune “Astrovan,” for instance, frontman Matt Quinn joked concerning the coverage implications within the lyrics.
“We’re singing songs about doobie-smoking Jesus, and Wiz Khalifa can also be on this system,” Quinn stated, as PennLive reported. “There could be sure initiatives that we wish to occur.”
Wiz Khalifa, for his half, didn’t fairly beat across the bush, saying: “I’m about two issues, peace and love. And when you’re 21 and older, smoke some weed!”
The rapper made the remark after performing one among his best-known songs, “Younger, Wild & Free.” An iconic line from that tune—the place the artist sings “so what we smoke weed”—was curiously omitted through the set, PennLive famous.
Shapiro does help legalization, and he made it a tenet of his gubernatorial marketing campaign. However because it stands, it stays unlawful to smoke marijuana in Pennsylvania, no matter whether or not the particular person is 21 and older.
The previous state lawyer common has stated that he believes legalization may present an financial boon to the Keystone State and that it’s time for Pennsylvania to meet up with its neighbors in enacting the reform.
“I believe lots of people shall be shocked that I really like [Wiz Khalifa’s] music,” Shapiro informed PennLive in an interview forward of being sworn into the governor’s workplace. “Thats what I like. I assume it’s acquired style over time.”
It stays to be seen whether or not the legislature is ready to behave on hashish within the new session, nonetheless, particularly given ongoing uncertainty concerning the make-up of the legislative physique, which noticed Democratic features over the past election however issues within the weeks since. One Democratic member handed since Election Day, and two others have resigned to take different places of work.
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Former Gov. Tom Wolf (D) had pressured the legislature to enact a coverage change to no avail, although he did difficulty a complete of two,540 pardons throughout his tenure, at the least 1 / 4 of which had been for individuals with prior marijuana convictions.
Wolf’s clemency complete contains 232 individuals who certified for aid below a cannabis-specific pardon program that the state facilitated late final 12 months, in addition to one other 395 that had been a part of a separate expedited assessment course of for nonviolent marijuana-related offenses.
Former Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), who was sworn in to the U.S. Senate this month and beforehand served as chair of the state Board of Pardons (BOP), informed Marijuana Second in October that whereas the pardons would meaningfully profit hundreds of Pennsylvanians, “the one lasting aid will come when our Republican legislature lastly decides to do the proper factor and legalize it.”
The previous lieutenant governor beforehand stated that he needed to course of hashish clemency for as many individuals as doable earlier than leaving workplace.
In the meantime, Pennsylvania officers introduced final month that they’re awarding almost $19 million in grants, partially funded by medical marijuana tax income, to assist substance misuse therapy professionals pay down their scholar loans.
Photograph courtesy of Martin Alonso.