Wolf: Pennsylvania Not Ready For Legalized Marijuana
HARRISBURG (CBS) -- Governor Tom Wolf is cool to a proposal from the state auditor general to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania.
The auditor general, saying the train has already left the station, this week proposed that Pennsylvania get on board with regulating and taxing marijuana. But appearing on Pittsburgh sister station KDKA Tuesday morning, Governor Wolf panned the idea, saying the tax revenues would barely put a dent in the state's deficit.
"I saw the report. I haven't talked to auditor general. And I think he's trying to be helpful in terms of the budget deficit," Wolf said. "His calculation I think had it about $200 million. We have a $3 billion dollar deficit, so that's not going to help."
Wolf says he favors decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot. But the governor says Pennsylvania should focus instead on getting up and running the medical cannabis program he pushed hard for. Ultimately, he believes Pennsylvania is not ready for legalized recreational marijuana.
"I think Pennsylvania would do right to see what happens in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, some of the other states," the governor said, "because they all have different approaches to this."
A spokesman says House majority Republican leaders agree.