Pa. lets public add conditions for pot treatment

Application process allows expansion of medical marijuana.

Think Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program should allow treatment for more conditions?

A new process announced by Gov. Tom Wolf's administration Friday enables both physicians and the public to apply to have depression, anxiety, insomnia or any other ailment added to the existing list of 21 qualifying conditions the state recognizes.

Simply asking won't cut it. Those filling out the application should provide documentation and references to research showing that the benefits of treating a particular condition with medical marijuana outweigh potential health risks.

A subcommittee of the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board will review submitted applications before presenting them to the entire board at a subsequent meeting. The entire board will then approve or reject the application.

If rejected, applicants can ask the chair of the board to reconsider. A second denial means the requester will have to wait one year before trying again — unless new scientific evidence is released.

“As medical literature surrounding the uses of medical marijuana expands, we want to ensure our list of qualifying conditions meets the needs of Pennsylvanians,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release. “This process will allow those with serious medical conditions to apply to have their condition be part of the list of qualifying conditions, with the support of medical professionals and documentation that supports their application.”

More than 95,000 patients in Pennsylvania have registered to participate in the medical marijuana program, and more than 64,000 have identification cards and are able to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary. About 1,360 physicians have registered for the program, 945 of whom have been approved as practitioners.

In the Lehigh Valley, registered patients can visit the Keystone Canna Remedies dispensary on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem or the Mission Pennsylvania dispensary on West Emmaus Avenue in Allentown.

If you think you have a qualifying condition but aren't sure how to register for an identification card, check out the Department of Health's online guide at www.health.pa.gov.

The state Legislature recognized 17 conditions when it adopted the Medical Marijuana Act in 2016. The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board added four more earlier this year.

Conditions include ALS, autism, cancer (including remission therapy), Crohn's disease, severe chronic pain, opioid addiction, Parkinson's, PTSD and epilepsy.

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