Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration today announced that temporary regulations for the research portion of the medical marijuana program will be published in the Aug. 18 edition of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
“The research portion of the medical marijuana program will continue to make Pennsylvania a national leader in this type of medicine,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “This medical research will provide studies for the use of medical marijuana to treat patients with serious medical conditions, such as veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and individuals with opioid use disorder. By establishing this part of the program, we will be able to help shape future treatment for patients, not only in Pennsylvania, but nationwide.”
The research program, guided by Act 43 of 2018, allows for eight academic clinical research centers (ACRC) and eight clinical registrants (CR). Each CR can dispense medical marijuana from up to six separate dispensary locations.
More than 60,000 patients in Pennsylvania have registered to participate in the medical marijuana program, nearly 38,000 of whom have received their identification cards and are able to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary. Approximately 1,200 physicians have registered for the program, nearly 750 of whom have been approved as practitioners.
The medical marijuana program was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on April 17, 2016. Since that time, the department has:
- Completed temporary regulations for growers/processors, dispensaries, physicians, patients, and laboratories, all of which have been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin;
- Issued Phase I permits to grower/processors and dispensaries;
- Developed the Medical Marijuana Physician Workgroup;
- Convened the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board;
- Approved six training providers for physician continuing education;
- Approved four laboratories to test this medication before it is delivered to patients;
- Launched registries for patients and caregivers, as well as practitioners;
- Registered more than 60,000 patients for the program;
- Approved 30 dispensaries and 12 grower/processers to begin operations;
- Continued to work with permittees to ensure they will be operational;
- Posted Phase II permit applications for dispensary applicants; and
- Issued Phase II permits to grower/processors.
The medical marijuana program offers 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.
For more information about the medical marijuana program, visit www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov or follow the Department of Health on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: Nate Wardle, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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