Is Delta 9 THC Legal in Pennsylvania?

Photo of a bridge with pink flowers.

Cannabis was first legalized in 2012 after two states, Colorado and Washington State, pioneered the legalization of recreational marijuana in the United States. Medical marijuana was first, debuting for the first time in California in 1996.

Since then, there have been many other states that have followed suit in legalizing cannabis. And while delta 9 THC is considered federally legal, each state has its own individual cannabis laws that will take immediate precedence over its residents.

In this article, we’re going to explain delta 9 THC and federal law as well as Pennsylvania delta 9 THC laws.

Looking for legal delta 9 in the Keystone State? We’ve got you covered.

 

Key Takeaways

  • Marijuana-derived delta 9 is illegal in Pennsylvania.
  • Hemp-derived delta 9 is legal as long as it has less than 0.3% delta 9 content on a dry weight basis.
  • Delta Munchies is your best provider of quality legal hemp-derived delta 9 products in Pennsylvania.

 

Delta 9 THC and Federal Law

The history of delta 9 THC and federal law is long and complicated. Cannabis was first prohibited in the United States in 1937 and remained that way through the 1970s during Richard Nixon’s infamous War on Drugs. It wasn’t until 1996 that California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana, slowly letting other states follow suit.

In 2012, Colorado and Washington State became the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. This ended the 75-year prohibition of marijuana in the United States, prompting many other states to follow suit over the next 10 years.

As of today, delta 9 THC has been decriminalized and is considered federally legal. However, each state has its own individual cannabis laws that prohibit certain types of delta 9 THC and allow others, while some allow all cannabinoids and others ban them all.

Because it can be confusing, we’re going to take a look at Pennsylvania delta 9 THC laws.

 

Pennsylvania Delta 9 THC Laws

As of 2022, medical marijuana IS legal in Pennsylvania but recreational marijuana is NOT. 

 

Is Delta 9 a Controlled Substance in Pennsylvania?

The topic of whether marijuana should be considered or not has been a notoriously divisive issue. The War on Drugs threw marijuana into the class of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, but many people vehemently agreed. To this day, it still raises questions between the scientific community and the legal community.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a controlled substance is: “A drug or other substance that is tightly controlled by the government because it may be abused or cause addiction. The control applies to the way the substance is made, used, handled, stored, and distributed. Controlled substances include opioids, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids. Controlled substances with known medical use, such as morphine, Valium, and Ritalin, are available only by prescription from a licensed medical professional. Other controlled substances, such as heroin and LSD, have no known medical use and are illegal in the United States.”

However, the DEA has issued a different take on marijuana being a controlled substance: “Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Although some states within the United States have allowed the use of marijuana for medicinal purpose, it is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that has the federal authority to approve drugs for medicinal use in the U.S. To date, the FDA has not approved a marketing application for any marijuana product for any clinical indication. Consistent therewith, the FDA and DEA have concluded that marijuana has no federally approved medical use for treatment in the U.S. and thus it remains as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law.”

You can see that the scientific and legal definitions of marijuana being a controlled substance are conflicting. There was a time that marijuana was considered to be a dangerous drug, but since then there has been an incredible amount of research-backed evidence showing marijuana is NOT in the same category of addictive drugs as opioids, stimulants, depressants, or anabolic steroids. Unfortunately, the legality has yet to catch up with the science.

As we know, each state has its own unique cannabis laws, and that goes for what counts as a controlled substance or not. So, is delta 9 THC a controlled substance in Pennsylvania? Yes, marijuana is considered a controlled substance in Pennsylvania.

 

Delta 9 THC Possession Limits in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, possession of 30 grams of marijuana or less may result in a misdemeanor charge, a $500 fine, and up to 30 days in jail. Anything over 30 grams remains a misdemeanor but the fines can increase up to $5,000 and jail time can increase substantially.

 

Is Delta 9 THC Legal in Pennsylvania?

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived THC was federally legalized in the United States as long as the THC content was 0.3% and under. This opened the door (or have many people have dubbed it, the “cannabinoid loophole”) for cannabinoids like hemp-derived delta 8 THC and delta 9 THC to be harvested and cultivated into cannabinoid products.

Many states have mirrored this legality and allow hemp-derived delta 9 THC to be legally sold there as long as it adheres to the federal guidelines of 0.3% or less.

So, is Pennsylvania one of those states? Yes, Pennsylvania legally allows federally regulated hemp-derived delta 9 THC products to be bought and owned within state lines. However, delta 9 THC derived from marijuana is still illegal in Pennsylvania, meaning regular cannabis use is banned.

 

Where to Buy Delta 9 in Pennsylvania

Since marijuana is still illegal in Pennsylvania, there aren’t legal dispensaries anywhere in the state. Some smoke shops might offer hemp-derived delta 9 products, but since they may be few and far between, the best place to buy delta 9 in Pennsylvania is online.

Here at Delta Munchies, we offer high-quality, rigorously lab-tested delta 9 THC products that have become a staple in the stoner community. We ensure that our hemp-derived, full-spectrum delta 9 THC completely adheres to all federal and state guidelines and regulations while still being potent enough for most experienced recreational users.

 

Disclaimer: This article was last updated in October 2022 and the information pertaining to federal cannabis laws and state cannabis laws is reflective of that time. Because cannabis laws in the United States are constantly changing on both federal and state levels, the information in this article is subject to change at any time. Additionally, this article is NOT legal advice, and no entity at Delta Munchies is giving legal advice. If you are unsure about your state’s individual cannabis laws, please look for more information on your state’s official state website(s).