May. 08, 2025
HARRISBURG – Rep. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence) this week voted “no” on legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. Brown issued the following statement after the House approved
House Bill 1200:
“The 173-page bill was just introduced Sunday, May 4, and was fast tracked through the House Health Committee, of which I am a member, Monday. It was quickly brought up for a final vote in the House on Wednesday. It’s a misguided mess that does nothing to help Pennsylvanians who could benefit from the work we should be doing on boosting homegrown energy and matching our educational systems to the jobs of the future.
“The quick turnaround of this bill allowed virtually no time for the public – the people who would be most deeply impacted by this proposal – to see it, understand its implications and share their comments or concerns with the legislators they elected to be their voice at the state Capitol.”
Brown strongly criticized the legislation as reckless and dangerous, especially at a time when Pennsylvania is still battling the opioid and heroin epidemics.
“As Pennsylvania continues to grapple with the devastating opioid crisis, the last thing we need is to introduce another addictive substance that will only deepen our public health crisis,” she said. “Legalizing marijuana in the name of revenue is a dangerous pipe dream that ignores the real costs, including addiction, impaired workplaces, increased hospital visits and rising teen use.”
Brown pointed to troubling data from other states where legalization has led to crime spikes, black-market growth and unintended consequences.
“This bill isn’t about helping Pennsylvanians. It's about chasing tax revenue at the expense of public safety and health. We are setting a dangerous precedent, and I will continue to fight against policies that put lives at risk. We should not be risking the health of our residents to balance the state budget,” she concluded.
House Bill 1200 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Marla Brown
9th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rick Leiner
717.260.6437 (office), 717.497.8478 (cell)
Rleiner@pahousegop.com
RepMarlaBrown.com / facebook.com/RepMarlaBrown