Pennsylvania is now poised to become the twenty-fourth state in the nation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the latest version of Senate Bill 3, sending it to the office of Governor Tom Wolf for a signature.
“I am proud and excited to sign this bill that will provide long overdue medical relief to patients and families who could benefit from this treatment,” Wolf said Wednesday in a statement.
“I applaud members of both parties in the House and Senate who have come together to help patients who have run out of medical options and want to thank the thousands of advocates who have fought tirelessly for this cause.”
For the past year Wolf, along with activists have been urging the state legislature to provide relief for patients.
Soon, Pennsylvania doctors will be able to perscibe marijuna as a viable treatment for 17 medical conditions including cancer, epilepsy, and PTSD.
The program would allow patients with a doctors recommendation to legally purchase cannabis pills, oils, and tinctures. While smokable marijuana is prohibited under the new policy, advocates consider the move to approve the bill a victory.
“Legal access to medical marijuana is going to benefit tens of thousands of seriously ill patients in Pennsylvania,” Becky Dansky, a legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. “For some, it’s the best treatment option. For others, it’s the only treatment option.”
