Recreational marijuana use is still illegal in Pennsylvania.

But there’s a growing tide across the country headed in that direction.

Thirty-eight of 50 states have enacted legislation to permit the use of medical marijuana.

Nearly half the states – including every state that abuts Pennsylvania with the exception of West Virginia – have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

“It’s already here,” District Attorney Rob Greene said. “The regulation just makes it to law enforcement and the public can control it better.”

Just because Greene supports legislation to make cannabis more widely available doesn’t mean he supports a regulatory or legislative structure that is akin to the wild, wild west.

“We need to keep it from kids,” he said.

Another common sense limitation is driving while under the influence.

There’s also a safety component that, Greene explained, needs additional regulation “to make sure the quality and what the company is saying you’re getting is what you’re getting.”

He said there is currently “very little if any” oversight even for medical marijuana dispensaries.

“They’re supposed to be testing but who is regulating that?” he asked. “It’s extremely important for that to get resolved.”

He said he’s also opposed to products that present an extremely high – 80-90 percent – THC content.

“That’s just silly,” he said.

Greene’s office has taken a very lenient approach to the prosecution of low-level marijuana possession offenses.

He didn’t disagree with that assertion but argued that it is a position in line with many of his colleagues across the state.

“A lot of district attorneys handle marijuana convictions similarly and do take a lenient approach,” he said. “I could very easily take a hard line…. The law by statute gives me the authority to use prosecutorial discretion.”

“It’s always been ‘Let’s get in front of this,'” he said. “It’s coming. We are now surrounded by states where marijuana is legal. We could have got ahead of that with regulation.”

“There are so many benefits” to cannabis use, he added. “I understand that there are those who are morally and ethically opposed to cannabis for many reasons. I respect those opinions. A majority of those opinions are the result of decades of false narratives perpetuated by the government that have been debunked by science.”

Greene is vehemently critical of concealed carry and driving challenges that those with medical marijuana cards face.

“Instead of cheering from the sidelines, I figured I would jump in and make myself a target so I can make my point abundantly clear that this is wrong.”

Legislation is working its way through the state House that aims to address part of that concern.

Reps. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) and Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) have introduced a bill that would allow those with medical marijuana cards to legally drive.

“Medicinal cannabis patients regularly contact our offices concerned that state law makes it illegal for them to drive,” the legislators wrote in a legislative memo. “While this legislation protects medicinal cannabis patients, it does not extend to any illegal cannabis use – nor does it protect impaired drivers. It applies to approved patients with a non-commercial driver’s license who use medical cannabis legally — and are not impaired – the same as with any other prescription medication.”

Greene also thinks that the federal government’s designation of marijuana as a Schedule I drug – restricting research possibilities – could be changed by the end of the year.

Whether you disagree with Greene or not, his policy views are backed up by his beliefs.

“I am a Republican because I believe in freedom, not that Democrats don’t,” he said. I believe in small government.

“I find it to be unfathomable that Republicans are against freedom on this issue. They’ve taken my Second Amendment rights because I want to use a cannabis plant to help me – for my health, wellness and enjoyment of life. There are some Republicans that think I should be in jail because of that? How is that freedom?

“As a cannabis user, I’m in the minority but my rights should be protected.”