Pennsylvania Senators Approve Bipartisan Cannabis Bill to Create New Regulatory Body
Senate Committee Votes to Establish Cannabis Control Board Overseeing Medical Cannabis and Hemp Products
A bipartisan coalition in the Pennsylvania Senate has advanced legislation to create a Cannabis Control Board (CCB), a new regulatory body that would oversee the state’s existing medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products—while laying the groundwork for a potential adult-use cannabis market in the future.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, passed out of committee in a 10–1 vote on Tuesday, marking one of the most significant bipartisan cannabis reform moves in Pennsylvania to date.
Laughlin said the creation of a centralized cannabis authority is long overdue, describing the Department of Health’s oversight of medical cannabis as “slow, inconsistent, and frustrating for both patients and legitimate businesses.”
“This new board will ensure accountability, consistency, and public safety,” Laughlin said prior to the vote, emphasizing that the measure is not a legalization bill but a structural reform that will prepare Pennsylvania for the future of legal cannabis.
Senator Laughlin Says Current Oversight System Is Failing Patients and Businesses
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has managed the medical marijuana program since its inception in 2016, but Laughlin and other lawmakers say the department’s performance has been hampered by inefficiency, poor communication, and a lack of regulatory transparency.
“The system is bogged down by slow product approvals, inconsistent oversight, and unclear guidance that frustrates everyone involved,” Laughlin said. He also highlighted growing concerns over intoxicating hemp-derived products such as delta-8 THC, which are widely sold in gas stations and vape shops across the state with “no testing, no labeling, and no age restrictions.”
Under Laughlin’s proposal, the new Cannabis Control Board would be responsible for overseeing medical marijuana and regulating hemp-derived products to close loopholes that allow untested psychoactive items to flood the market.
Bill Establishes Framework to Regulate Cannabis Responsibly—And Prepare for Legalization
While the bill does not legalize adult-use marijuana, Laughlin said it would create a regulatory foundation that could seamlessly transition to a full legalization framework if lawmakers pass such a measure later.
“Legalization of adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania is no longer a matter of if, it is when,” Laughlin wrote in a May statement previewing the bill. “And when that day comes, the state should not be scrambling to build a regulatory system from scratch.”
He added that a “transparent, efficient framework should already be in place”—one capable of ensuring consumer safety and industry integrity from day one.
For now, the CCB’s immediate focus would be tightening regulation of the medical marijuana market and bringing unregulated hemp products under formal state control.
Laughlin: Department of Health Oversight Has Been “Inconsistent and Inefficient”
In a press release announcing the bill, Laughlin criticized the Department of Health’s management of medical marijuana, describing it as “glaringly inconsistent, inefficient, and lacking transparency.”
He said the proliferation of unregulated intoxicating hemp products further demonstrates the need for a dedicated cannabis board to manage this fast-growing sector responsibly.
The senator’s office said the new agency would streamline operations, provide clearer communication with licensees, and ensure that consumers have access to safe, tested cannabis products.
Bill Transfers Oversight and Creates Clear Standards for Safety and Accountability
A cosponsorship memo circulated earlier this year outlined the bill’s objectives, including transferring regulatory control of the Medical Marijuana Program from the Department of Health to the new Cannabis Control Board.
According to the memo, the CCB would:
Ensure continuity and efficiency in medical cannabis operations.
Establish uniform safety and testing standards for all cannabis and hemp products.
Conduct investigations, promulgate regulations, and collaborate with other departments to improve oversight.
“By consolidating oversight under a single regulatory board, we can eliminate inconsistencies, enhance transparency, and provide the structure needed to responsibly manage this industry,” the memo reads.
The bill text itself does not mention adult-use cannabis directly but makes clear that the structure would be suitable for eventual expansion into a recreational market if legalization passes.
Pennsylvania’s Broader Cannabis Policy Landscape
The CCB proposal comes amid broader momentum for cannabis reform in Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in hospitals, a move reflecting growing acceptance of cannabis as a legitimate medical treatment.
Meanwhile, efforts to legalize adult-use marijuana have gained traction but remain stalled due to disagreements between the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-led Senate.
Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has repeatedly urged lawmakers to move forward with legalization, arguing that Pennsylvania is losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue to neighboring states like New York and Ohio, where adult-use sales are already underway.
Shapiro’s most recent budget proposal projected $536 million in cannabis revenue in the first fiscal year of legalization—though GOP critics, such as state Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R), have called that estimate “way overstated.”
Bipartisan Efforts Show Growing Momentum Despite Political Divisions
Despite political hurdles, support for cannabis reform in Pennsylvania has grown steadily among both parties. Polls consistently show bipartisan voter support for legalization, and several Republican lawmakers, including Laughlin, have embraced the issue as a matter of public safety, personal freedom, and economic opportunity.
Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), Laughlin’s Democratic counterpart in past cannabis reform efforts, said that federal rescheduling of marijuana could provide “political cover” for more hesitant GOP members to finally support legalization.
Street and Laughlin jointly introduced a bipartisan legalization bill earlier this year, while House Democrats advanced a separate proposal with a state-run sales model, which was blocked in the Senate. Laughlin has argued that a privately licensed market—not a state-controlled one—would be more efficient and better suited to Pennsylvania’s economic structure.
A Step Toward Comprehensive Cannabis Regulation in Pennsylvania
For now, the creation of a Cannabis Control Board represents a pragmatic step toward reform that both sides of the aisle can support. It offers a solution to persistent regulatory shortcomings while setting the stage for a smoother transition to adult-use legalization when lawmakers eventually act.
“The goal is to bring order, safety, and transparency to an evolving industry,” Laughlin said. “Pennsylvania should be ready to act not react when legalization becomes law.”
As the bill advances toward a full Senate vote, its passage could mark a turning point for Pennsylvania’s cannabis landscape bringing regulation, responsibility, and readiness to a market on the brink of expansion.
