Post by Logan on Apr 24, 2016 4:33:02 GMT -6
Despite law, medical marijuana may see local challenge in Pennsylvania
The hard-fought march to medical marijuana in Pennsylvania took a groundswell of public opinion, years of lobbying and changes of heart across the Legislature.
But even advocates for the law, signed a week ago by Gov. Tom Wolf, suspect another challenge may await the measure. That’s because the Pennsylvania legislation appears to concentrate regulatory power at the state level, leaving local officials with limited influence over dispensaries and marijuana cultivation, legal observers said.
“I guarantee: There will be some municipalities in Pennsylvania, somewhere, that try potentially to pass an ordinance saying, ‘We don’t want any marijuana organizations,’” said Justin Moriconi, a regulated-substances attorney in Philadelphia.
He said any attempts at local prohibition likely would be overturned, despite the sustained resistance to medical marijuana in several pockets of the state. The state House voted 149-46 — and the Senate, 42-7 — to allow several non-smokable types of the treatment.
Read more: www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2016/04/24/Despite-law-medical-marijuana-may-see-local-challenge-in-Pennsylvania/stories/201604220171
The hard-fought march to medical marijuana in Pennsylvania took a groundswell of public opinion, years of lobbying and changes of heart across the Legislature.
But even advocates for the law, signed a week ago by Gov. Tom Wolf, suspect another challenge may await the measure. That’s because the Pennsylvania legislation appears to concentrate regulatory power at the state level, leaving local officials with limited influence over dispensaries and marijuana cultivation, legal observers said.
“I guarantee: There will be some municipalities in Pennsylvania, somewhere, that try potentially to pass an ordinance saying, ‘We don’t want any marijuana organizations,’” said Justin Moriconi, a regulated-substances attorney in Philadelphia.
He said any attempts at local prohibition likely would be overturned, despite the sustained resistance to medical marijuana in several pockets of the state. The state House voted 149-46 — and the Senate, 42-7 — to allow several non-smokable types of the treatment.
Read more: www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2016/04/24/Despite-law-medical-marijuana-may-see-local-challenge-in-Pennsylvania/stories/201604220171