Pennsylvania Approves First Legal Medical Cannabis Cultivation License
The state of Pennsylvania approved its first medical cannabis cultivator and processor to receive a license on October 17. Now, with production green-lit, the state’s medical cannabis program is well on its way.
According to Lehigh Valley Live, Gov. Tom Wolf released a statement about his hopes to help Pennsylvania patients get the medicine they seek. “Every day we hear from patients who are desperately waiting for medical marijuana to help alleviate the symptoms of their serious medical conditions,” Wolf said. “My message to them today is that Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program is moving forward, and we will have medication to them sometime in 2018.”
The owner of the first license, Cresco Yeltrah, is one of a total of 12 licensees who will eventually be approved by the Department of Health. Requirements for earning such a license include several inspections. Currently, he’s been approved to collect seeds and clones for medical cannabis, and he will also be the first to put the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system into action.
Acting Health Secretary and Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine also said in the release that they believe more licensees will be approved very soon. “In the coming weeks, we expect the 11 other grower/processors to be ready to grow and process medical marijuana,” Levine said. “We are working with them, as well as the dispensaries, to ensure the program stays on track. Patients are our first priority, and we want to get medication to them as safely and efficiently as possible.”
The Pennsylvania Medical Cannabis Program was signed by Gov. Wolf in April 2016, and went into effect in May 2016. Since that occurred, the department has accomplished much to ensure that the program is on track, including issuing permits to cultivators and processors, approving training providers to educate physicians and approving two lab testing facilities.
