Veteran Erik Asher hopes to see the day Pennsylvania allows cannabis for all adults.
Asher, 51, who lives outside of Pittsburgh, served in Operation Desert Storm and has a medical marijuana card for post-traumatic stress disorder. He buys cannabis at a dispensary, then makes his own medicine and educates others on the benefits of doing so.
“The people are done asking. We’re tired of it,” Asher said. “I’m done asking for permission for something I’ve needed from day one.”
Two Democratic Pennsylvania senators last week proposed legislation to legalize adult use of marijuana for those 21 and older, less than three weeks after Republican Gov. Tom Wolf announced his support for adult use.
States in the West have for years have permitted recreational use, and more than 30 states nationwide have programs for medical, recreational or both.
But more states in the northeast are legalizing cannabis programs or talking more about the movement toward recreational use.
Governors including Wolf are working to coordinate how recreational marijuana might be regulated, taking a regional approach. Democratic governors from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania met in New York City with health and legislative leaders this past week.