Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration’s Pennsylvania Department of Health today approved Ilera Healthcare LLC., in Taylor Township, Fulton County to grow and process medical marijuana, becoming the fourth facility to be operational.
“Pennsylvania now has four grower/processors that are fully operational, bringing us one step closer to providing medical marijuana to patients,” Governor Wolf said. “More than 8,000 patients have registered to participate in the program, with 435 who have visited an approved practitioner and received their certification. We are working to make sure those patients have access to medical marijuana when the first dispensaries open sometime next year.”
In order to become operational, Ilera Healthcare underwent several inspections from the Department of Health. The facilities also are fully integrated with the seed-to-sale tracking system. The grower/processors will now be able to begin accepting seeds and clones to grow medical marijuana.
“Patients, caregivers and physicians are actively getting ready to participate in the program,” Acting Health Secretary and Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine said. “More than 150 physicians have been approved as practitioners, with nearly 350 more going through the process.”
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 more than 300 applications;
- Completed temporary regulations for growers/processors, dispensaries physicians and laboratories, all which have been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin;
- Issued permits to grower/processors and dispensaries;
- Developed the Medical Marijuana Physician Workgroup;
- Approved four training providers for physician continuing education;
- Approved two laboratories to test medication before it is delivered to patients;
- Launched the Patient and Caregiver Registry; and
- Continue to work with permittees to ensure they will be operational within six months.
The Medical Marijuana Program became effective on May 17, 2016, and is expected to be fully implemented by 2018. The program will offer medical marijuana to patients who are residents of Pennsylvania and under a practitioner’s care for the treatment of a serious medical condition as defined by the Medical Marijuana Law.
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.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
J.J. Abbott, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116
April Hutcheson, Dept. of Health, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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