How Did Your West Chester Area Representatives Vote On Medical Marijuana?

WEST CHESTER, PA -- A bill legalizing medical marijuana was approved Wednesday by the Pennsylvania House in a 149-43 vote.

The bill enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support across the state, however, Chester County painted a much different picture.

Six lawmakers Chester County voted down the bill, while only four supported it. All of the House representatives from Chester County are Republicans.

The legislation was originally co-sponsored in the Pennsylvania Senate by a local, State Sen. Daylin Leach ( (D-Montgomery/Delaware), along with State Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon).

"When the Senate passed Senate Bill 3 last year, national experts agreed that it would be the best medical cannabis protocol in the country," Leach said. "I intend to sit down with Senator Folmer and the advocates to review the House’s changes to our bill while keeping in mind our goal from the beginning of this process: to provide medicine to as many patients as possible, as soon as possible.”

Pennsylvania is the twenty-third state to approve medical marijuana.

The following representatives voted "yea."

• Thomas J. Quigley (R), Limerick
• Warren Kampf (R), Upper Providence, Tredyffrin
• Tim Hennessey (R), East Coventry, Pottstown, Honey Brook, Elverson
• Stephen Barrar (R), Kennett Square

The following voted "nay."

• John A. Lawrence (R), Atglen
• Becky Corbin (R), Phoenixville, Uwlchan, Spring City
• Chris Ross (R), Avondale
• Dan Truitt (R), Birmingham, West Chester, Westtown
• Harry Lewis Jr. (R), Caln
• Duane D. Milne (R), Charlestown, West Whiteland, Malvern

There were two legislators in Montgomery County that voted against the bill as well:

• Justin J. Simmons (R) of the 131st district, including East Greenville, Pennsburg, and Upper Hanover
• Robert W. Godshall (R) of the 53rd district, including Lansdale, Hatfield, and Franconia

Corbin, Lawrence, and Lewis, three of the bill's opponents, are also members of the House Health Committee, which marijuana supporters accused of delaying the vote.

Opponents of the bill were largely social conservatives concerned with family values and and with the reliability of marijuana’s use as medicine.

“One reason I still oppose medical marijuana,” wrote Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) on his Twitter account, “@PAMEDSociety doctors not convinced it won’t do more harm than good.”

Smucker posted to Twitter a link to a letter from the Pennsylvania Medical Society that cites contradictory research, including evidence that seizures in epileptic children worsened after using medical marijuana.

Folmer said that he believed the final version of the bill which the Senate passed reflected such concerns.

“I believe in its present form Senate Bill 3 represents a balance between the advocates who want greater access to medical cannabis and those who continue to have concerns,” Folmer said in a press release. "Hopefully we have established a solid foundation for consideration and deliberation in the House.”

Governor Wolf has said that he will sign the legislation.