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More funding sought to subsidize Pennsylvania medical marijuana purchases | Pennsylvania

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(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Health released its annual report on the state’s medical marijuana program and is asking for more funding to subsidize patients who can’t afford medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana has been legal since 2016 in Pennsylvania and is approved for residents of the commonwealth with a “serious medical condition” and who get certified by a doctor registered with the program. 

The program is overseen by a Medical Marijuana Advisory Board and patients with one of 23 medical conditions qualify.

Currently, 23 growers/processors hold permits and are operational, according to the report. The commonwealth has 161 active dispensary sites that sell medical marijuana.

As of May, 61.6 million products have been sold since the program’s inception. Growers and dispensaries are subject to regulatory inspections from the Department of Health, which has conducted about 1,600 inspections.

Penalties can be steep: A violation can lead to “suspension or revocation of operating permit, civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation, order of restitution of funds or property unlawfully obtained or retained, or issuance of a cease-and-desist order of some or all operations,” the report noted.

The commonwealth has approved about 1,800 physicians to certify patients, and they have approved almost 1.1…

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