Harrisburg, PA –Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy today announced applications are now available online for laboratories to become an approved laboratory for the testing of medical marijuana for the Commonwealth’s medical marijuana program.
“Testing laboratories are an essential part of our medically focused program,” Secretary Murphy said. “Once selected, these facilities will ensure the medication patients receive at dispensaries is safe and effective.”
A laboratory must first be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) to identify, collect, handle or conduct tests on medical marijuana samples from a grower/processor, or conduct tests on test samples for the department.
The approval is valid for two years from the date of issuance for the approved laboratory location specified in the application.
The Medical Marijuana Program was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on April 17, 2016. Since that time, the department has:
- Completed the Safe Harbor temporary guidelines and Safe Harbor Letter application process, as well as approved 242 applications;
- Completed temporary regulations for growers/processors, dispensaries and laboratories which have been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin;
- Released Phase One permit applications for grower/processors and dispensaries;
- Developed the Medical Marijuana Physician Workgroup;
- Drafted temporary regulations for practitioners to participate in the program; and
- Selected MJ Freeway to implement seed-to-sale tracking and security.
The Medical Marijuana Program is expected to be fully implemented in early 2018. The program will offer medical marijuana to patients who are residents of Pennsylvania and under a physician’s care for the treatment of a serious medical condition as defined by Act 16.
Questions about the Medical Marijuana Program can be emailed to RA-DHMedMarijuana@pa.gov. Information is also available on the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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