Since the programs establishment in April 2016, by Medical Marijuana Act 16, the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program has increased in popularity and improved access to patients who desire to treat symptoms with medical marijuana.
Who Qualifies For Medical Marijuana in PA?
Any Pennsylvania resident with an approved serious medical condition can be approved by a state certified cannabis doctor for medical marijuana. If you are under 18 years old, you will need an adult caregiver. Some of the conditions we certify are listed below:
A “serious medical condition” under the law is any one of the following:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Anxiety disorders
- Autism
- Cancer, including remission therapy
- Crohn’s disease
- Damage to the nervous tissue of the central
nervous system (brain-spinal cord) with objective
neurological indication of intractable spasticity,
and other associated neuropathies - Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Huntington’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Intractable seizures
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Neuropathies
- Opioid use disorder for which conventional
therapeutic interventions are contraindicated or
ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is
indicated in combination with primary therapeutic
interventions - Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic
origin or severe chronic or intractable pain - Sickle cell anemia
- Terminal illness
- Tourette syndrome
How Do I Get Started?
The first step in the process for becoming a medical marijuana patient in PA is to create a profile on the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program Registry. The MMP will ask for your driver’s license number or state issued ID number along with some general demographic information. After you are registered, the next step is to visit a physician approved by the Pennsylvania Health Department to verify that you suffer from one of the state’s qualifying conditions. This can be done conveniently and discreetly from the comfort of your own home. To set up a quick and easy appointment today call: 844-TELE-MDS or complete the online paperwork and we will reach out to you shortly.
Speak With Your Certifying PA Marijuana Doctor
After you set up your appointment, Compassionate Healthcare’s certifying physician will review your new patient paperwork and give you a call to discuss how medical marijuana may benefit the condition and symptoms you are looking to treat with it. You will have the opportunity to ask any and all questions you may have and will be given some guidance on what products may be best for you to try.
Get Your MMJ Certification
After speaking with the certifying physician your recommendation will IMMEDIATELY be entered into the MMP. As soon as this is done you will receive an email with instructions on how to get the physical card. This is where you will pay the $50 state fee (if applicable). If you participate in SNAP, WIC, CHIP, Medicaid or PACE/PACENET—the state application fee is waived. The physical card arrival can take up to 10 business days to arrive; however, most receive in within 3-5 business days.
Visit A Dispensary To Get Your Medical Marijuana
Once you are certified in Pennsylvania for Medical Marijuana you can purchase from any of the below state-licensed dispensaries.
How Much Marijuana Can I Purchase?
Prior to House Bill 1024, patients were limited to a 30-day supply of medical marijuana. In June 2021, this was adjusted to a 90-day supply of cannabis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unknown if this will change or not.
Patients can purchase:
- Marijuana Flower
- Creams
- Liquids
- Oils
- Topicals
- Pills
- Tinctures
Can My Employer Fire Me for Using Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is ahead of many other medical states, as it provides certain employment protections to medical marijuana cardholders. Employers may not discriminate against employees for using medical marijuana. An employer or potential employer can’t legally terminate or refuse to hire you just because you are a medical marijuana user.
However, an employer may prohibit an employee from performing the tasks they deem life-threatening to the employee or other employees under the influence of medical marijuana.
No employer may discharge, threaten, refuse to hire or otherwise discriminate or retaliate against an employee regarding an employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, location or privileges solely on the basis of such employee’s status as an individual who is certified to use medical marijuana. – The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act 16
Where Can I Use My PA Medical Marijuana Card?
Besides Pennsylvania, other medical states have reciprocity laws that honor the PA Medical Card. Some of these states are:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Washington, D.C.
- Maine
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
Why Choose Compassionate Healthcare For Your PA Medical Marijuana Certification?
Compassionate Healthcare Telehealth’s primary mission is to expand access to medical marijuana for patients who seek a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals. By partnering with our patients to build long-term relationships, we aim to simplify the medical marijuana process in Pennsylvania by making the certification both affordable and accessible from the comfort of their own home. Compassionate Healthcare Telehealth focuses solely on cannabinoid medicine and will be available throughout your entire medical marijuana journey for any questions or concerns you may have along the way. To expand access to patients who can reduce pharmaceuticals and benefit from MMJ, Compassionate Healthcare offers one of the lowest certification costs at only $119!
