Pubdate: Thu, 02 Nov 2017
Source: Morning Call (Allentown, PA)
Copyright: 2017 The Morning Call Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/DReo9M8z
Website: http://www.mcall.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/275
Author: Andrew Wagaman

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN PENNSYLVANIA: HOW PATIENTS CAN SIGN UP

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Wednesday pledged to make
medical marijuana available to patients by May and released a list of
109 approved practitioners statewide.

It also launched the medical marijuana patient and caregiver registry,
with instructions on how those interested can sign up. More than
200,000 patients across the state could qualify for medical marijuana
treatment.

Pennsylvanians with 17 medical conditions are eligible for medical
marijuana patient ID cards.

Those conditions are Lou Gehrig's disease, autism, cancer, Crohn's
disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Huntington's disease,
inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease,
post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, spinal cord
damage, chronic pain, neuropathies and intractable seizures.

The law permits marijuana as pills, oils, vapor or liquid but not in
plant form, and patients may not grow their own.

Six Lehigh County doctors and one Northampton County doctor now have
approval to help patients obtain medical marijuana for the treatment
of conditions ranging from AIDS and autism to Crohn's disease and cancer.

Six Lehigh County doctors and one Northampton County doctor now have
approval to help patients obtain medical marijuana for the treatment
of conditions ranging from AIDS and autism to Crohn's disease and cancer.

Here is how patients can get access to the medication:

1. They must first create a patient profile in the Department of
Health's patient and caregiver registry.

2. During a visit, an approved physician will verify the patient
suffers from one of the aforementioned medical conditions and review
his or her medical history. For example, the approved physician might
get in touch with a first-time patient's primary physician or
specialist to determine whether a patient stands to benefit from
marijuana treatment.

3. Then they will pay $50 to the health department through the online
registry to obtain a medical marijuana patient ID, which enables them
to pick up medical marijuana products at a dispensary.

1. Over the summer, experts said the big unknown in Pennsylvania's bid
to launch a medical marijuana industry would be whether doctors would
sign on. Poor participation could make it difficult for patients to
find a practitioner willing to recommend marijuana. And fewer patients
could drive up...

1. Over the summer, experts said the big unknown in Pennsylvania's bid
to launch a medical marijuana industry would be whether doctors would
sign on. Poor participation could make it difficult for patients to
find a practitioner willing to recommend marijuana. And fewer patients
could drive up... (Morning Call Staff)

4. Patient caregivers must also complete a criminal background check.
So far, the state has issued 324 "safe harbor" letters that insulate
parents from criminal charges if they are obtaining the drug for their
sick child.

Patients should be able to get medical marijuana products at
dispensaries starting in 2018.

Legal challenges could still delay access to the medicine. Keystone
ReLeaf, a Bethlehem company that unsuccessfully applied for growing
and dispensary permits, has sued the Health Department and permit
recipients in Commonwealth Court for what it considers a flawed
permitting process. It seeks to halt the medical marijuana program
rollout.
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MAP posted-by: Matt