Pennsylvania's Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, currently state treasurer, confirmed in an NBC10 Philadelphia interview that she would veto any marijuana legalization bill. "I don't support legalizing recreational marijuana," she said, predicting the Republican-controlled Senate would block passage. Asked directly if she'd veto such legislation, she said "yes."
Garrity previously avoided a clear stance, telling interviewers last year she had no "policy position" while arguing Shapiro's revenue projections "way, way overstated" the potential. A 2020 Pennsylvania Family Council survey shows she answered "N" when asked whether marijuana should be legalized recreationally.
Her position contrasts with incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has repeatedly called on the legislature to pass a legalization bill and included projected cannabis revenue in consecutive budget proposals. The Democratic-controlled House passed a bill last year to legalize marijuana through state-owned dispensaries; the Republican-controlled Senate has not acted. Shapiro's campaign said he "has been clear that as nearly every one of our neighboring states has already legalized marijuana, we cannot afford to keep losing out on this revenue—and we need comprehensive cannabis reform to make Pennsylvania more competitive and more just."
Last month, the House passed Shapiro's $53.2 billion budget—which projects cannabis revenue even though legalization has not occurred—and it now heads to the Senate. The governor's office described the Trump administration's federal marijuana rescheduling as an "important step" supporting state reform. Shapiro has publicly cited a projected $1.3 billion in new revenue over legalization's first five years.
Pennsylvania's Independent Fiscal Office projected in February that legalization would generate $140 million in year one (2027–2028), rising to $432 million by 2030–2031, under a 20 percent wholesale excise tax and 6 percent state sales tax. The governor's own office projected $36.9 million in year one, rising to $223.8 million by 2030–2031 under the same tax structure.
A recent poll found 69 percent of Pennsylvania likely voters support adult-use legalization—72 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Republicans, and 64 percent of independents.
In March, the Senate Law and Justice Committee approved a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state's medical marijuana program, intoxicating hemp products, and potentially adult-use cannabis if legalization passes. The House Health Committee also approved a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
In February, drug policy and civil liberties groups urged Shapiro to lead bipartisan legislative negotiations on legalization.
