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Pennsylvania: Cannabis Law Lawyers

Please select a city to find local Pennsylvania Cannabis Law lawyers.

Starting A Marijuana Business? You're In The Right Place.

Prior to 1996, few states allowed cannabis to be used for medical purposes and no states had legalized cannabis for recreational use. Today, about three dozen states, four U.S. territories and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. More than two dozen states have legalized recreational marijuana and more states continue to pursue marijuana legalization every year.

The change in attitudes toward medical cannabis and recreational marijuana has created endless opportunities for entrepreneurs and business-minded people. Cannabis businesses can now operate legally in a number of states, including operating as:

Marijuana retailers
Cannabis cultivators
Cannabis distribution & transportation
CBD and THC concentrate producers
Product testing laboratories
Cannabis marketing
Paraphernalia producers and retailers
Marijuana delivery providers
Cannabis packaging providers

What are the Land Use and Zoning Issues Involved with a Cannabis Business?

Cannabis businesses are strictly regulated regarding land use and zoning. Each state, county, and municipality may have its own regulations that limit where a cannabis business can be located and limit the type of business that can be conducted on-site. Zoning regulations and land use laws may restrict business operations in:

The number of marijuana production sites
Fencing and access
Retail locations near schools
Concentration of cannabis businesses in a certain area

Zoning laws may also limit how and where cannabis businesses can open and operate, with retail businesses permitted in commercial or industrial zones. Processing facilities may be limited to industrial zones and production may be limited to farm use, industrial farming, or small farming operations. In most states, marijuana commercial businesses are not allowed to operate in residential districts.

Other land-use restrictions may have specific requirements for marijuana businesses in time, place, and manner of operations, including:

Lighting
Security
Waste management
Minimum set-offs
Water use
Hours and access
Odor
Visibility

Do You Need a Lawyer in Pennsylvania?

There are a variety of reasons you might need to find a lawyer in Pennsylvania, from facing criminal charges to filing a lawsuit or even just buying a house.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is extremely important to be represented by skilled legal counsel. Not only can retaining an experienced criminal defense attorney increase your chances of a favorable outcome if your case does go to trial (improving your odds of attaining an acquittal), but also if you opt to negotiate a plea deal or to plead guilty, a lawyer can ensure you are treated fairly within the boundaries of the law.

On the other hand, if you are looking to file a legal claim of any sort, it is equally advisable to find a Pennsylvania lawyer familiar with your type of legal matter. Attorneys have spent years (if not decades) of their lives in pursuit of the knowledge and skills necessary to best represent their clients in court proceedings. Legal jargon, obscure precedent, existing and newly passed statutes and other elements of the legal process demand that a professional lawyer is always capable of seeking the best possible outcome.

Can I Represent Myself in Pennsylvania?

While representing yourself in court can sound like a good idea on the surface, particularly given the relative cost of retaining legal counsel, it is almost universally considered to be a poor idea. No amount of quick research can act as a substitute for the skills and experience that lawyers attain through working several years in the court system.

How do I choose a lawyer?

Consider the following:

Comfort Level: - Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
Credentials: - How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
Cost: - How are the lawyer's fees structured - hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
City: - Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?

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