Medical marijuana can be used as an alternative treatment for many Pennsylvania patients. According to a 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study, there is evidence that marijuana can relieve pain, muscle spasms, and nausea — symptoms of various diseases and conditions approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
"I am the founder of Herbal Wellness Rx and have been studying herbal medicine since the 1980s. I focus much of my work on alleviating the suffering in the seriously ill patient. Since it opened, I have enjoyed working with Ilera dispensary. The professional staff, excellent variety of products, expert clinical staff, and convenient location make it my preferred dispensary for patient referrals."
"As a medical cannabis-certifying physician, I want my patients to have a truly helpful experience when visiting a dispensary. They get that at Ilera. I hear only positive feedback from my patients who visit Ilera and I understand why — Ilera has an impeccable business model and professional, knowledgeable staff. They help patients find the right product for the symptoms they are looking to treat. The staff at the Plymouth Meeting location are actually my go-to for questions that I need help answering. Of the dispensaries that I have visited, Ilera is by far the best."
Only physicians (MDs or DOs) who are licensed in the state of Pennsylvania can recommend medical marijuana ONLY after completing a 4-hour training course required by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
A "serious medical condition" under the law is any one of the following:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
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
All physicians who want to become approved practitioners for the medical marijuana program, must first register with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. A physician can register by accessing the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Registry and following the steps listed here.
In addition to registering with the DOH, physicians are also required to take a 4-hour training before they are approved by the state. After registration is submitted, the 4-hour training is complete, and everything is approved by the DOH, physicians can log onto their registry accounts (using username and password created during registration), and begin to initiate patient certifications.
The required 4-hour physician training will cover the latest scientific research data on medical marijuana, including the risks and benefits of medical marijuana. Below are the current vendors approved by the DOH for the training:
The Answer Page Inc.
Extra Step Assurance LLC
The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University
University of the Scienes
In Pennsylvania, approved forms of medical marijuana include: pill; oil; topical forms, including gel, cream, or ointment; tinctures; liquid; a form medically appropriate for administration by vaporization or nebulization, including dry leaf or plant form for administration by vaporization.
All patient certifications must be completed via the online DOH portal, where the physician profile lives. Once the patient certification is submitted to the state, the patient will receive an email prompting them to complete their registration process and pay for their card.
Yes. In Section 6 of the Physician Certification Process, the physician will be asked if there are any limitations or restrictions on the forms of marijuana the patient will receive. It is suggested that the certifying physician checks the box that recommends that the patient discusses the form of medical marijuana to be dispensed with a medical professional employed by a dispensary.