It’s up all to Gov. Tom Wolf now.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill, SB 3, that would legalize medical marijuana 149-46. The proposed law has already made its way through the Senate and was approved.
The bill is likely to be signed into law by Wolf, a Democrat. The governor has supported the bill that would allow people with 17 medical conditions, including cancer, PTSD and autism, to use medicines derived from marijuana.
In a Facebook post, Wolf called the vote “huge.”
Republican State Rep. Scott Petri, whose district covers New Hope, Northampton, Solebury, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown, voted against SB 3. Democratic State Rep. Steve Santarsiero, whose district covers Lower Makefield, Morrisville, Newtown Borough, Newtown Township and Yardley, voted in support of SB 3.
Once signed into law, doctors planning to prescribe marijuana for medicinal reasons would have to register with Pennsylvania as a “practitioner.” Dispensaries and those involved with the cultivation and farming process would have to get licensed and pay a start-up fee of $200,000 to the state. The first patients would likely not get their prescription for at least 18 months to two years.
The proposed law does not allow for recreational marijuana use.
