PLBC Advocates for Expungement and Social Equity in Pennsylvania’s Adult Use Cannabis Laws

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) has announced a comprehensive plan to reform Pennsylvania’s adult-use cannabis laws, emphasizing criminal justice reform and social equity.

Restoration and Entrepreneurship

“It is time that we invest in the restoration of communities that have been impacted, we return incarcerated persons to their families, and we provide entrepreneurs with a pathway to lead in this emerging marketplace,” stated PLBC chair, state Rep. Napoleon Nelson.

Expungement and Asset Reimbursement

The PLBC is advocating for the expungement of prior cannabis offenses and the reimbursement of assets forfeited during cannabis-related arrests to be included in any legislation that would legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Addressing Racial Disparities

State Rep. Chris Rabb, co-founder of the PA Cannabis Caucus, highlighted the lack of Black-owned dispensaries in Pennsylvania. “The origins of the racist war on drugs and cannabis prohibition have been directly and insidiously connected to Black folk and to any number of people who have been marginalized over generations,” Rabb stated.

Ongoing Impact of Cannabis Prohibition

“To do so while thousands of Pennsylvanians have their lives, livelihood, and even freedoms disrupted by a heavy-handed war on cannabis, even at this very moment, is unconscionable,” Nelson said.

Support from Advocacy Groups

Advocates from Free My Weedman, Black Cannabis Week, and PA Prison Society also spoke in support of the PLBC’s initiatives.

About the PLBC

Established in 1973, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus empowers Black legislators and serves as an advocacy vehicle for Black, Latino, and other Pennsylvanians of color. Initially, members met in secret to establish a shared legislative agenda due to fears of backlash.