The Governor of Pennsylvania signed a law allowing all licensed medical marijuana producers and processors to act as retailers in their state, selling cannabis directly to patients.
Governor. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, signed the bill into law on Thursday.
The state Department of Health, under the initiative sponsored by Senator Chris Gebhard (R), will establish a procedure that allows the 10 independent marijuana processors and growers in the state to apply for a dispensary license to engage directly with patients. The state’s independent dispensaries may also obtain grower permits in order to cultivate their own products.
The current law states that no more than five out of 25 license holders in the state can hold a dispensary licence. Other must sell their product to a licensed cannabis dispensary which can then sell the products to patients.
It has led to a near-monopoly, with select operators from out of state dominating the industry. Supporters say that allowing in-state independent growers vertical integration is a partial solution.
In a fiscal note published last month, it was estimated that the reform will generate nearly $2 million from fees for applications and permits. In the following fiscal years, it is expected that the state will generate approximately $90,000 per year. The administrative costs incurred by the Health Department to process and supervise the permits would offset some of the revenue.
Some lawmakers predicted that SB 773, the state’s marijuana legislation, would be changed to allow for more radical changes, such as legalizing medical marijuana at home or expanding the legalization of marijuana to adult use. These substantive changes, however, were not incorporated.
A provision of the law, signed by the governor , would prohibit licensees for a certain period from transferring their permits. This, according to lawmakers, is to stop larger companies, often out-of-state, from buying up permits and controlling the market.
Pennsylvania is yet to legalize adult-use marijuana, but there are growing expectations that it will follow other states in the region by allowing recreational sales. As the anticipation for the policy change grows, some businesses are feeling the strain. This is especially true as wholesale marijuana prices continue to drop and as multi-state operators continue acquiring smaller businesses.
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This week , a Pennsylvania House Committee conducted a second hearing on marijuana legalization as the momentum for reform grows in the state. Pennsylvania’s Governor and U.S. Senator John Fetterman, D-PA, have both said that it is time to change Pennsylvania’s marijuana laws after Ohio voters legalized recreational cannabis last month.
Fetterman recently said that state marijuana policy is “lapped”, as neighboring states legalize.
Now, two bipartisan legislators are seeking co-sponsors to support a modest change. Sens. Camera Bartolotta and Sharif Street recently circulated a proposal to decriminalize cannabis by downgrading the simple possession of marijuana from a misdemeanor offense to a civil offence.
A co-sponsorship message sent earlier this month states that “Medical marijuana provided relief for many patients from their ailments and helped them cope effectively.” “Yet we continue to criminalize recreational marijuana and imprison those who possess even small amounts.” This is insensitive and frankly inappropriate.”
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Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
The post Pennsylvania Gov. Signs Bill to Let Medical Marijuana growers Sell Directly to Patients, while Also Allowing Dispensaries to Cultivate first appeared on Marijuana moment.
