Robert Celt
New Member
Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Act cleared the House on Wednesday, but that doesn't mean dispensaries will start popping up in York County next week.
Legislation making the Keystone State the 24th to legalize the drug could take affect as early as April. But even after that people could be waiting another 18 months before they are able to access the drug.
Here's a look at what to expect between now and October 2017, assuming the bill becomes law.
Dotting the I's
Senate Bill 3 has passed the House, and is now in the hands of the Senate. Lawmakers need to reassess the bill and the amendments that have been added since the Senate approved it in May. They could vote as early as next week, although changes would require concurrence in the House. From there, it could immediately be sent to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk.
Developing a state program
Pennsylvania will need to create a Marijuana Advisory Board. Like the Liquor Control Board oversees alcoholic beverage laws, the new state board will oversee just about every element of the drug's regulation. That includes growers, processors, dispensaries, physicians and patients involved.
The medical marijuana program will:
Qualified patients will need to get identification cards from the health department, a process that will include them in a statewide, computerized registry that updates in real-time. That registry will contain intricate details of patients, caregivers, physicians and what types and amounts of medical marijuana they could be issued.
Creating new businesses
The state would need a handful of organizations and businesses responsible for growing, processing and distributing medical marijuana.
These businesses – dispensaries, growers, processors – will register with the health department and would only be able to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana in an indoor facility. None of them could be within 1,000 feet of a school or day care unless it's within a Keystone Opportunity Zone.
The health department would establish at least three regions to register growers, processors and dispensaries. As it stands now, the bill would allow up to 50 dispensaries, each of which could have three locations.
Checking up on doctor regulations
Doctors won't be able to write a prescription for medical marijuana. Instead, they'll recommend the drug as a form of treatment. Before they can do that, they'll need to register with the health department so they can legally issue certifications for patients to receive identification cards. Physicians who wish to certify patients would have to successfully complete a course on medical marijuana.
Breaking the law
The bill's intent is to help sick patients, not to get people recreationally stoned. Even in a Pennsylvania that has passed this piece of medical marijuana legislation, there are things that won't fly.
Even if you're a patient with an identification card, you can't smoke marijuana. You can only put it into edible form if it is to help the patient ingest it. And if you suspect your neighbor is growing something illegally, feel free to notify law enforcement, because only registered growers, processors or health care medical marijuana organizations would be permitted to grow marijuana.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana: ID Cards, Edibles And Grow Laws
Author: Mark Walters
Contact: ydr
Photo Credit: iStock
Website: ydr
Legislation making the Keystone State the 24th to legalize the drug could take affect as early as April. But even after that people could be waiting another 18 months before they are able to access the drug.
Here's a look at what to expect between now and October 2017, assuming the bill becomes law.
Dotting the I's
Senate Bill 3 has passed the House, and is now in the hands of the Senate. Lawmakers need to reassess the bill and the amendments that have been added since the Senate approved it in May. They could vote as early as next week, although changes would require concurrence in the House. From there, it could immediately be sent to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk.
Developing a state program
Pennsylvania will need to create a Marijuana Advisory Board. Like the Liquor Control Board oversees alcoholic beverage laws, the new state board will oversee just about every element of the drug's regulation. That includes growers, processors, dispensaries, physicians and patients involved.
The medical marijuana program will:
- Establish a tax on medical marijuana and a create a fund.
- Create a medical marijuana research program.
- Regulate the maximum price of medical marijuana through the health department.
- Petition the FDA and DEA to study a medical condition when the department's database contains 25 people with the same condition.
Qualified patients will need to get identification cards from the health department, a process that will include them in a statewide, computerized registry that updates in real-time. That registry will contain intricate details of patients, caregivers, physicians and what types and amounts of medical marijuana they could be issued.
Creating new businesses
The state would need a handful of organizations and businesses responsible for growing, processing and distributing medical marijuana.
These businesses – dispensaries, growers, processors – will register with the health department and would only be able to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana in an indoor facility. None of them could be within 1,000 feet of a school or day care unless it's within a Keystone Opportunity Zone.
The health department would establish at least three regions to register growers, processors and dispensaries. As it stands now, the bill would allow up to 50 dispensaries, each of which could have three locations.
Checking up on doctor regulations
Doctors won't be able to write a prescription for medical marijuana. Instead, they'll recommend the drug as a form of treatment. Before they can do that, they'll need to register with the health department so they can legally issue certifications for patients to receive identification cards. Physicians who wish to certify patients would have to successfully complete a course on medical marijuana.
Breaking the law
The bill's intent is to help sick patients, not to get people recreationally stoned. Even in a Pennsylvania that has passed this piece of medical marijuana legislation, there are things that won't fly.
Even if you're a patient with an identification card, you can't smoke marijuana. You can only put it into edible form if it is to help the patient ingest it. And if you suspect your neighbor is growing something illegally, feel free to notify law enforcement, because only registered growers, processors or health care medical marijuana organizations would be permitted to grow marijuana.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana: ID Cards, Edibles And Grow Laws
Author: Mark Walters
Contact: ydr
Photo Credit: iStock
Website: ydr
