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Marijuana Would Be Sold In State Stores Under Pa. Senator's Proposal

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - A state lawmaker is proposing that marijuana be legalized and sold in state stores. But a top political analyst stands by his prediction that legalization of pot for recreational use in Pennsylvania won't be happening anytime soon.

State Senator Daylin Leach, a Democrat from suburban Philadelphia, held a news conference to detail his proposal, which he says would have marijuana sales essentially treated the same as liquor. But what if the state store model of alcohol sales is changed, as has been proposed?

"Then marijuana would presumably – although it would have to be spelled out in legislation -- be treated as alcohol would be under the new regime."

Leach believes in the long term, legalizing pot is inevitable – in part because of young people.

"They have very little interest in continuing prohibition," Leach says.

But in a Franklin and Marshall College Poll released just last week, Pennsylvania voters under 35 were evenly divided on the question.

Poll Director Terry Madonna says, "It's certainly at least a decade away."

Despite broad support for medical marijuana, the F&M Poll shows overall Pennsylvanians oppose recreational marijuana by a 19-point margin.

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