Coronavirus: Pennsylvania softens medical marijuana regulations, allows for curbside pickup

Yes, Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana stores are open to the state’s more than 147,000 registered patients during the coronavirus pandemic and patients can now use online ordering to accelerate the dispensing process.

Pennsylvania health officials have said that food, medicine and banking services are considered essential and will remain open. And the state considers medical marijuana a medicine, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed this week.

But some of the program’s regulations initially made it difficult for patients and caregivers to heed advice from Gov. Tom Wolf and health professionals that people limit trips outside the home.

And many medical marijuana patients are considered high-risk for complications associated with COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. Patients have conditions such as cancer and HIV/AIDS and may have weakened immune systems.

The statutory and regulatory suspensions will remain in place for as long as the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency is in effect.

So, what are these changes?

Delivery or curbside pick-up 

Patients now are able go to a cannabis retailer and have their product brought to their cars. Dispensary employees will be able to go out to the vehicle, retrieve patient identification cards, and then deliver the prescription to the vehicle. [Read More @ York Daily Record]