HARRISBURG, Pa. - In April Governor Tom Wolf signed the Medical Marjuana Act. Since then, the Department of Health has been working on regulations to roll out the Medical Marijuana Program. At a briefing, Department of Health secretary, Dr. Karen Murphy gave people an update on the program.
"The Department's next step is to begin accepting permit applications for growers, procures and dispensaries. We will be issuing these permits in phases. I am excited to announce that the first phase will begin on January 17," said Dr. Murphy.
The application process requires an applicant to:
- Apply for a permit with the department before growing/processing marijuana.
- Provide information in the permit application, including, but not limited to:
- description of business organization and activities;
- federal and state criminal background check;
- statement indicating the applicant is of good moral character;
- ability to maintain effective security and control to prevent diversion, abuse or other illegal conduct; and
- provide a diversity plan.
- Complete a two-hour training course.
- Submit a permit application with:
- initial non-refundable fee of $10,000
- permit fee of $200,000, which is refundable if the permit is not granted; and
- proof of $2 million in capital ($500,000 of which must be on deposit in a financial institution).
The Department anticipates patients with the proper prescription will be able to purchase Medical Marijuana around June of 2018.
There are 17 conditions that qualify someone to be able to get Medical Marijuana.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Autism
- Cancer
- Crohn’s Disease
- Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) / AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
- Huntington’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intractable Seizures
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuropathies
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain in which conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or ineffective
- Sickle Cell Anemia