HARRISBURG, PA (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Friday that they are making arrangements to assist those who need medical marijuana during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"In the midst of COVID-19, we need to ensure medical marijuana patients have access to medication," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said.
"Medical marijuana growers/processors and dispensaries are considered life-sustaining businesses under the Governor's order for nonlife-sustaining businesses to close. We want to be sure cardholders in the medical marijuana program can receive medication for one of 23 serious medical conditions during this difficult time."
Starting on Friday, March 20, relevant statutes and regulations have been temporarily discontinued:
- Allowing dispensary employees to provide medical marijuana to a cardholder in their vehicle on the facility's property;
- Remove the current cap that limits the number of patients assigned to one caregiver, to allow for more caregivers to patients in need;
- Eliminate background checks for caregiver applications, limited to renewal applications only, in order to expedite the caregiver renewal process;
- Waive in-person consultations and allow for remote consultations between approved practitioners and medical marijuana cardholders for renewal certifications only; and
- Waive limits that allow for medical marijuana to only be dispensed for 30 days by requiring approved practitioners to notate on the patient's certification to dispense a 90-day supply.
The suspensions will remain active through the span of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency.
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