Now that the Trump Administration is finalizing the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance, ResponsiblePA calls on Pennsylvania lawmakers to act immediately on comprehensive cannabis regulation. The President’s carefully calculated move removes decades of failed drug policy. If Pennsylvania were to act similarly in eliminating archaic prohibition, the Commonwealth would see significant economic benefits across the entire state, especially in rural Republican-leaning regions.   

Pennsylvania can no longer afford to fall behind other states already reaping the benefits of regulated cannabis, including oversight of the products being consumed, job creation, tax revenue, and criminal justice reform.  President Trump acknowledged that cannabis has commonly accepted medical uses, creating an opportunity for legitimate bipartisan discussions in Pennsylvania about modernizing cannabis policy with comprehensive regulation.

Coupled with the new federal hemp law requiring regulation of intoxicating hemp, the time for action in PA is now.

“The move to reclassify cannabis is a major wake-up call to state lawmakers who are failing Pennsylvanians. We lag behind our neighboring states that already have regulation on the books,” said Brit Crampsie, ResponsiblePA spokeswoman. “Further, with the reclassification of cannabis nationwide by the Trump administration and the closing of the intoxicating hemp loophole by Congress, Pennsylvania must step up and institute comprehensive cannabis regulation.”

The Economic Reality: Cannabis Brings Job Creation and Revenue With the Biggest Benefits to Rural PA

Governor Shapiro and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have made promises to lower the costs of living and to make Pennsylvania affordable again. President Trump and Vice President Vance have also recently made stops in Pennsylvania to highlight an economic agenda focused on affordability. Regulating cannabis will help kickstart Pennsylvania’s economy, not only in the creation of good-paying jobs, but also a dramatic increase of $420 million in new annual tax revenue. It would also generate $2.1 billion in first-year sales alone, add $4.2 billion in economic output, and create more than 33,350 jobs across retail, cultivation, and related industries. Regulating cannabis will also help shore up critical state funding for infrastructure, education, and public services. 

FTI data being released for the first time shows regional job growth related to Pennsylvania’s establishment of cannabis regulation, especially in rural Republican-leaning regions. The following counties, largely centered around rural areas, are likely to see the highest increase in jobs:

  • Lehigh & Bucks
    • Job Creation – 647
  • Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland & Snyder
    • Job Creation – 3,218
  • York 
    • Job Creation – 2,662
  • Bedford, Fayette, Somerset & Westmoreland 
    • Job Creation – 2,396
  • Cambria, Centre & Clearfield Counties
    • Job Creation – 777
  • Westmoreland
    • Job Creation – 523
  • Beaver Butler & Lawrence 
    • Job Creation – 581
  • Berks , Lancaster & Lebanon
    • Job Creation – 741

Ensuring Pennsylvania Does Not Fall Behind the Nation on Public Health and  Safety

Meanwhile, Congress fundamentally rewrote federal hemp law last month, with new restrictions taking effect November 13, 2026. Virtually every “intoxicating hemp” product currently sold in Pennsylvania through gas stations, convenience stores, and online will be a Schedule I controlled substance, federally illegal, in less than a year.

Pennsylvania remains one of only 10 states without regulation for intoxicating hemp products—items with similar effects to cannabis that are sold freely at gas stations with no pharmacist oversight, no age verification, no testing requirements, and no accountability for what’s actually in them. Pennsylvania lawmakers must act to codify regulations into state law that mirror the new federal standard. A bill currently sitting in the state Senate, Senate Bill 49, would accomplish just that by finally answering the growing cry in the Commonwealth to regulate intoxicating hemp and protect public health and safety.