Westmoreland County doctors are jumping into the new world of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.
More than 200 physicians have been approved to participate in the medical marijuana program, including 4 in Westmoreland County, according to an updated list released this week by the state Department of Health.
Last month’s list of doctors did not include any from Westmoreland County.
Allegheny County, which had 10 approved doctors in November, now has more than 20.
Interested doctors must register with the state and complete a four-hour training course before final review by the Health Department.
Under state law, patients can apply for a state-issued medical marijuana card if a doctor certifies they have one of 17 qualified medical conditions, among them epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis and seizure disorders.
Qualified patients with a doctor’s recommendation will receive a Pennsylvania medical marijuana identification card, allowing the purchase of medical marijuana from an authorized state-licensed medical marijuana dispensary. Dispensaries are also allowed to sell equipment, such as vaping devices for liquid forms, to administer medical marijuana.
Gov. Tom Wolf signed a medical marijuana bill into law in April 2016. Medical marijuana in Pennsylvania will be available in pills, oils, tinctures or ointments. The Health Department is regulating the program, which forbids smoking marijuana in dry leaf form.
credit:triblive.com
