Dry Leaf To Be Added To Pa. Medical Marijuana Program This Summer
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP/KDKA) - Patients registered in Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program will soon be able to consume it in dry leaf or flower form, and more medical conditions will qualify for treatment by the drug.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's health secretary announced Monday she's accepting the recommendations of an advisory panel and adopting those changes.
Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine expects producers to make the dry leaf form of marijuana available sometime this summer.
State law prevents dispensaries from selling marijuana that's designed to be smoked, but cannabis consumer advocate Chris Goldstein says patients who buy the dry leaf product can vaporize it instead of smoking it.
Levine is also adopting a recommendation that children who need the drug be certified by a pediatrician, but she says that change may take time to implement.
In addition, 21 medical conditions will now be on the list of covered conditions, and patients with medical marijuana cards will no longer need to pay for the cards more than once a year.
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