Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana in April 2016, when it was approved by the Senate in a 42-7 vote, and the House by 149-46 votes. In February 2018, medical marijuana became available for patients at dispensaries across the state.

Under the law, a parent or guardian of a minor under 18 years of age can lawfully obtain medical marijuana from another state, territory of the United States, or any other country to administer to the minor.

Patients can possess a 30-day supply in pill, oil, topical ointment, tincture or liquid form. Since April 2018, patients may vaporize herbal marijuana, but are still prohibited from smoking it.

Home cultivation is not allowed.

Qualifying Conditions

Medical marijuana can be recommended for any of the following medical conditions:

  • ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
  • Autism
  • Cancer
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Dyskinetic/spastic movement disorders
  • Epilepsy
  • Glaucoma
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Intractable seizures
  • Intractable spasticity
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Opioid dependency
  • Neurodegenerative disorders
  • Neuropathies
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Severe chronic or intractable pain
  • Terminal illness (defined as 12 months or fewer to live)

How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Pennsylvania

To qualify for medical marijuana, the patient must first create a profile in the Medical Marijuana Registry.

Once the patient is registered, an approved physician must certify that they suffer from a qualifying condition. Physicians who recommend medical marijuana in Pennsylvania are required to register with the Department of Health.

The patient may designate up to two caregivers to assist in obtaining medical marijuana. Patients under the age of 18 are required to have a caregiver. Caregivers will also have to register for the medical marijuana program and complete a background check before being approved.

Once certified, the patient returns to the Medical Marijuana Registry and pay $50 for an ID card. Patients who participate in assistance programs such as Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, and WIC may be eligible for fee reductions.

Specific instructions on how to apply for a medical marijuana ID card can be found here.

Renewal Requirements

Patients will receive an email 60 days before their certification and ID card expires. This means it’s time to renew.

Patient certification must be renewed annually. Any registered doctor can provide it.

Where You Can Buy It

You can find a map of all dispensaries in Pennsylvania here.