Both Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. are in favor of a measure that would reduce the penalty for simple possession of marijuana in the city, which speaks volumes about how logical it is.

The ordinance, proposed by city Councilman Daniel Lavelle, would not decriminalize possession or smoking of marijuana but it would alter the punishment to align with what actually happens already. Currently, when individuals are accused of possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana — slightly more than an ounce — the offense is almost always reduced to a summary offense, which carries a fine but no jail time.

HARRISBURG - After years of discussion, Pennsylvania lawmakers appear poised to cast a historic vote next week that could legalize medical marijuana.

As soon as Monday, legislators in the House could vote on a measure, already approved by the Senate and backed by Gov. Wolf, that would allow the drug to be administered to patients suffering from conditions including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and epilepsy.

Still, supporters and detractors alike cautioned that many hurdles remained, including the potential for adding dozens of amendments, many of which were still being crafted Thursday and some of which could alter key portions of the legislation.

HARRISBURG -- A state House committee advanced a medical marijuana bill in a bi-partisan vote Wednesday, but passing it into law will still likely require changes.

A House vote on the bill could come as soon as next week, but it's not clear if still-unresolved issues will stall the legislation.

“I would expect that [the bill] will be amended on the floor. We are still trying to work out the details of those amendments. There will be some changes made, but we wanted to get the vehicle in place, so that we can do a final vote and hopefully send it off to the Governor very soon,” said House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana.

A Pittsburgh city councilman wants to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.
    
Councilman Daniel Lavelle says he'll introduce legislation Tuesday that would give city police the ability to fine people -- instead of filing criminal charges -- if they're found to be in possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana or eight grams of hashish.

The ordinance sets a civil fine of up to $100 and lets police seize the drugs. It would not supersede state law.

Lavelle, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said in a news release that the bill will help end the consequences of unemployment, lack of education and being stuck in the criminal justice system.

Legalization of medical marijuana can't come soon enough for 8-year-old Lorelei Ulrich, who suffers hundreds of debilitating seizures each day due to epilepsy.

“We’re hoping that we get something passed and something passed soon because people are suffering,” said her mother, Middletown native Dana Ulrich.

To help gain advocates, a rally to support the legalization of medical marijuana hemp will be held in Bristol from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Lions Park along the borough waterfront, 148 Basin Park.

City Councilman Daniel Lavelle is scheduled to introduce legislation today that will allow city police to issue a fine instead of a misdemeanor summons for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana or eight grams of hashish. The ordinance, which sets a civil fine of up to $100, allows officers to seize the drugs and means Pittsburgh will join a “growing trend of local municipalities enacting similar laws to protect its citizens,” Mr. Lavelle’s office said in a news release.

“Approximately 1,000 individuals are charged with a misdemeanor-level marijuana possessory offense in Pittsburgh annually,” the release says. “Almost all have the criminal charge reduced to a non-traffic summary citation at the first stage of criminal proceedings.”

HANOVER, Pa. (WHTM) – As the state’s medical marijuana fight stalls in the statehouse, activists haven’t given up pushing for public support.

One of those demonstrating Saturday in York County was more recognizable than most: Chuck Homan was arrested on marijuana charges last year.

“I just don’t know what else to do,” he said Saturday.

He says he uses it to treat manic depression; last month, a York County judge said that’s okay and found him not guilty.

But it’s “not a real comfortable position to be in,” he said with a laugh. “I still live in fear.”

He hasn’t stopped using pot, which means he could be arrested again. But he still petitioned the streets of Hanover over the week, rallying support for medicinal cannabis.

New polls show strong support for marijuana in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania ahead of next year's national elections.

Super-majorities of voters believe that medical cannabis should be legal, and most men additionally support legalizing marijuana for all adults, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University Swing State poll.

Pollsters gauged support for marijuana law reform in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Shawn House stands at the bottom of the Pennsylvania Capitol steps with a smile on his face and an empty bag of pretzels in his hands.

"Hempzel's Pretzels," he says. "It's a mix of hemp and pretzels."

It's also completely legal. House, who runs the Lancaster Trading Company and it's Hempzel's Pretzels brand, uses industrial hemp in his products every day. The hemp he uses comes from the same cannabis species as the more familiar drug, and the plant it grows from looks similar to the drug, but it contains minimal doses of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the substance which leads to the high marijuana smokers feel.

"Knowledge is powerful," Shawn says. "Just because you have seed, doesn't mean you have weed."

Every person should have the right to obtain cannabis legally. Cannabis plant treatment is safer and more effective than pharmaceuticals, especially opiate based pain medication and many cancer-therapy drugs. Still many patients do not have the right to access medical marijuana legally and are forced to obtain and medicate outside of the law.