The Pennsylvania medical marijuana program, signed into law in April 2016, officially launched on Feb. 15. of this year. But the product offerings are limited. In fact, there are currently only six dispensaries offering medical cannabis in the form of concentrates and oils.
So if you’re interested in becoming a medical marijuana patient in the Quaker State, you might have some questions. Where should you shop? What will you pay? How do you even qualify for the program? We’ll tell you what we know.
Here’s everything you need to know about Pennsylvania medical marijuana:
How to participate in the program
If you’re looking to get your medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania, you’ll need to jump in some hoops. Follow these steps:
- Create a patient profile at the Patients and Caregivers Registry
- Obtain physician’s certification that you have one of 17 serious medical conditions (listed below)
- Pay for a medical marijuana card at the Patient and Caregivers Registry
After those steps, you can pick up medical marijuana from one of the six approved dispensaries (listed below).
Who qualifies
Currently, only residents in Pennsylvania with any of 17 serious medical conditions may qualify for the program. Those conditions include:
- 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
Approved dispensaries: Where to shop
As of now, you’ll only find six dispensaries throughout the state offering sales to medical patients.
- Cresco Yeltrah-Butler, 201 Pillow St. Butler, PA, 724-276-0069
- Keystone Canna Remedies, 1309 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, PA, 484-408-6122
- Solevo-Squirrel Hill, 5600 Forward Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217, 412-422-0420
- Organic Remedies-Enola, 4425 Valley Road, Enola, PA 17025, 717-562-7758
- Terra Vida Holistic Center-Sellersville, 64 N. Main St., Sellersville, PA 18960, 215-257-3243
- Keystone Shops-Devon, 420 West Lancaster Ave., Devon, PA, 484-581-7189
Where to find a physician
The Pennsylvania medical marijuana program has put together a list of approved physicians throughout the state. Within the PDF document, you can search by county for prescribing doctors within you area.
Pennsylvania marijuana prices
It’s hard to get an average price when a medical marijuana program first launches. That’s especially so when dispensaries aren’t yet advertising their prices, as is the case in Pennsylvania right now.
But according to an analysis by TribLive.com, prices currently range from $40 to $80 for products. One individual reported paying $70 for a half gram of Lime Skunk medical marijuana resin, while a gram of wax Bio Jesus was $75.
Those prices are fairly high. But as the year moves forward, and more dispensaries open, expect cannabis prices in the state to become more transparent and more affordable.
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