Proposed bill would give Pa. doctors more leeway in prescribing medical marijuana

A bipartisan bill expected to be introduced soon in Harrisburg would loosen regulations of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program and could substantially increase the number of cannabis patients in the state.

A memo on the legislation co-sponsored by state Sens. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, and Mike Regan, R-York, said the bill would eliminate the list of 23 qualifying conditions and instead allow any doctor authorized to prescribe controlled substances to prescribe medical cannabis to patients.

Brewster said the timing is right to expand the state’s medical marijuana program, which he said has seen success since it was first implemented five years ago without experiencing any major setbacks.

“We are doing this bill to make it more convenient,” said Brewster. “We have watched it for five years now, and it is time to free it up.”

Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients must now be diagnosed with at least one of 23 qualifying conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, opioid use disorder and epilepsy. The vast majority of marijuana patients qualify under anxiety disorders.

Brewster said the program has seen steady growth since its inception — the number of licensed grow facilities has increased from 12 to 33, one of which is in McKeesport in Brewster’s district. He said he believes there is room for the program to grow. [Read more at Trib Live]