Eight Cannabis Cultivators Licensed in Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Dec. 27 that eight medical cannabis operators have been approved to begin cultivation of Pennsylvania’s first batch of medical cannabis. It was also announced that about 10,000 patients have registered into the state’s medical cannabis program.

Operators will cultivate, as well as process the plant into oils, pills and tinctures. Approved operators include the following: Cresco Yeltrah, Franklin Labs,  GTI Pennsylvania, Ilera Healthcare, Pennsylvania Medical Solutions, PurePenn LLC, Standard Farms and Terrapin Investment Fund. The first operator received a license on Oct. 17.

The effort to launch the cultivation process is ongoing. “We have four grower/processors in the final stages of their inspection process,” acting Health Secretary Rachel Levine told The Inquirer. “We have been working with them to make sure they are meeting all of the standards set out by the regulations and their facilities are safe and secure.”

.@GovernorTomWolf and @PAHealthDept announced today that more than 10K patients have registered with the PA #MMJ program. https://t.co/XIYTqC5mx1

— The Press Office (@GovernorsOffice) December 27, 2017

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 10,135 people have registered in the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program; 435 have received medical cannabis cards and 250 doctors have been approved to recommend medical cannabis. Every application had to be double-checked by hand, leading to a time-consuming process.

Getting into Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program is not as easy as other states, such as California. The cost can run around $200, plus patients are asked for documentation for one of 17 serious medical conditions. You may be asked for diagnosis forms, bloodwork or test results.

No dispensaries have opened yet in Pennsylvania, although medical cannabis is expected to become available in early 2018. There are no operators that have been approved in the Philadelphia area, although that could change once the next round of licenses are approved.

Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state’s medical cannabis law on April 17, 2016, and the program became effective on May 17, 2016. The program, however, forbids smokable forms of medical cannabis , meaning that only oils, pills and tinctures are allowed.