HARRISBURG, August 1, 2018 – State Senator Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery/Delaware) today issued the following statement regarding the sale of “whole plant” marijuana to Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients.
“It’s a great day for medical marijuana patients in Pennsylvania,” Leach said. “Allowing whole plant is a huge milestone for our program and I’m so proud that we can offer it to Pennsylvanians. Certain conditions, like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and cancer, require fast and immediate relief. Vaporizing whole plant medical marijuana will help those patients get the relief they need and oftentimes the plant will be much more affordable than the processed options permitted by our protocol. The impact this will have on patients will be immeasurable. I believe that as of today Pennsylvania has the best medical marijuana program in the country.”
The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board voted 11-0 in April to recommend that Pennsylvania expand the program to include the whole plant form as a valid form of medicine under the Commonwealth’s medical marijuana protocol. Secretary Rachel Levine accepted the recommendation made by the Advisory Board.
The whole plant form of medical marijuana will be phased in at 16 permitted dispensaries today. It will expand to include 28 locations on August 8.
Senate Bill 3, Leach’s bill to legalize medical marijuana, was signed into law as Act 16 of 2016. The Act created the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board within the Department of Health. The Advisory Board was tasked with studying the use of marijuana as medicine and making recommendations to improve Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana protocol.
Leach’s bill legalized medical marijuana for 17 specified conditions.