After a long wait, the quality medical marijuana dispensaries in PA finally opened their doors to qualified patients in February 2018. The bill that allowed for the legal sale of medical cannabis was originally signed into law in 2016, but only in 2018 did the product become available.
Medical marijuana in PA is available to patients suffering from 17 specified medical conditions. The law, as written, allows for a total of 150 dispensaries throughout the state. Initially, medical cannabis was only available in pill, oil, liquid, tincture, and topical forms. As of August 2018, patients will be able to purchase it in dry leaf form.
When the law was first written, there was a concern on the part of the state legislation that marijuana intended for medical purposes may be diverted to recreational use if it was available in leaf or flower form. Along with the law was an advisory board. The board was charged with the responsibility of studying the program and suggesting any alterations thought to be prudent. Dry leaf marijuana is fast acting, involves less processing, and costs less than other approved forms. As a result, it was made available to registered patients.
However, medical cannabis cannot be smoked in PA. It is to be heated in a device that creates a vapor, which is then inhaled.
The Right Form for the Condition
As there are a number of ways cannabis can be purchased, it is important for patients to discuss the various forms and which is best for their specific condition. Medical marijuana dispensaries will be different from those in states such as Colorado or California where people can walk in and choose directly from a display case.
In PA, patients will be able to see a photo of the bud along with a listing of their particular attributes and palliative effects. It is the responsibility of the doctor or pharmacist on site to help the patient determine which is best.
There are 150 medical marijuana dispensaries serving the needs of patients in PA. For information on the approved medical conditions and Herbology dispensary locations in PA, visit their website.
