State Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania Department of Health

Address:
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Health and Welfare Building,
8th Floor West
625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120

Phone: 888-733-5595
(Hours of operation: 7 AM – 9 PM ET, seven days a week, excluding state holidays.)

Website: Pennsylvania (PA) Medical MJ Program

How Does the Medical MJ Program Work in PA

The fundamental role of the PA Medical MJ Program is to provide access to medical mj for patients with severe medical conditions. Additionally, the program ensures that medical mj delivered to patients is safe and effective.

The patient registration process and issuance of PA medical cards is one way the program fulfills its responsibilities. And its rulemaking power guarantees that only safe mj products make it to patients.

How to Get Medical MJ in Pennsylvania (PA)

Patients can buy medical mj from any dispensary in Pennsylvania as long as they have a valid PA medical card. So, meeting the PA medical mj requirements is essential to get medical mj in the state.

Registering for the PA Medical MJ Program

To be part of the PA Medical MJ Program, patients must apply for a PA medical card. Creating an account with the PA Medical MJ Program Registry is the first step. Next, patients should book an appointment with a participating PA medical mj doctor to get certified.

After you get a recommendation you can complete your application. The final step involves placing an order for the PA medical card itself. All patients should take note of the following application requirements:

  • All applying patients must be residents of Pennsylvania

  • Patients must be at least 18 years old to qualify for the PA medical mj program.

  • Still, qualifying minor patients can apply if an approved and registered caregiver makes the application on their behalf.

  • Patients must pay the non-refundable $50 registration fee to complete their registration.

  • Patients must be diagnosed with at least one of the PA medical mj conditions.

How to Get your MJ Recommendation

Acquiring a Physician Recommendation (mj recommendation) from a PA medical mj doctor is as easy as filling out our sign-up form and booking an appointment.

Online mj evaluations usually take about 10 minutes, giving you and your doctor the chance to discuss why medical mj may help improve the quality of your life and mitigate the symptoms of your condition.

The appointment will take place on a video call through Doxy, our telemedicine platform of choice that’s secure and easy to use.

How to Qualify for the Pennsylvania Medical MJ Program

As mentioned earlier, a patient must be suffering from one of the PA medical mj qualifying conditions to qualify for medical mj in the state. Some of the conditions include:

Patients should review the PA medical mj qualifying conditions and medical card requirements to see if their medical condition qualifies them and more.

Pennsylvania Medical MJ Laws

With a PA medical card, patients can lawfully purchase and possess medical mj without worrying about getting entangled with law enforcement. But, there are limits to these freedoms. So, what do the Pennsylvania mj laws say?

  • Patients in the PA medical mj program CANNOT grow medical mj for personal use on their property.

  • Approved patients shouldn’t possess more than their 30 day supply limit as set by their recommending doctor.

  • Pennsylvania mj law doesn’t deem mj paraphernalia necessary for any form of medical mj treatment and therefore you shouldn’t own or use mj paraphernalia.

  • Patients can only obtain medical mj from state-approved dispensaries in Pennsylvania. Most importantly, PA’s mj law prohibits personal sales, so patients shouldn’t engage with them in any way.

And those only scratch the surface. Find out how you could be a responsible PA medical mj patient and the possible penaltiesif you break the Pennsylvania mj laws.

Pennsylvania Medical MJ Card

Are you interested in knowing what is required to become a medical mj patient in Pennsylvania?

Check out how to get a medical mj card in PA for extensive information on obtaining a med card, renewing it, as well as any other questions and curiosities you might have.

PA Medical MJ Program: Application Process

Need help with the application process? No problem! We’re here to help. 

Go to our Pennsylvania Patient and Caregiver Application Guide and get all the answers you need. 

Pennsylvania Dispensary List

There are many mmj dispensaries ready to serve patients in Pennsylvania, with Philadephia, Pittsburgh, and Washington leading in dispensary numbers.

For a comprehensive resource of the registered dispensaries in Pennsylvania, check out the PA Medical MJ Program Dispensaries List

A Brief History of the Pennsylvania (PA) Medical MJ Program  

The Pennsylvania Department of Health took the reigns of the newly established PA Medical MJ Program after Governor Wolf legalized medical mj on 6th April 2016. However, it took about two years, 15th February 2018 to be precise, for patients to finally obtain medical mj from dispensaries in Pennsylvania.

Despite the delay, a domino effect ensued upon legalizing medical mj in Pennsylvania. The law scrapped state-level criminal penalties involving the use, possession, and cultivation of mj by residents with a signed physician recommendation.