Pa. medical marijuana program expected to be up and running — by 2018

Now that the law legalizing medical marijuana has taken effect, what will change in Pennsylvania?

It’s been more than 30 days since Gov. Tom Wolf signed the measure into law.

That means parents can now bring medical marijuana into the commonwealth from other states for their children.

Although state law changed, people could still be cited for breaking local laws.

Speaking on Radio PA’s “Ask the Governor” program, Wolf said he hopes law enforcement will understand.

“There are real medical issues that families in Pennsylvania are facing, and they are doing what they’re doing in the understanding that this law has been passed,” Wolf said. “It is now legal. And it’s just a matter of our doing what we need to do to get the system up and running.”

With the law now in effect, the ability to bring in medical marijuana from other states is the most immediate impact.

Regulations for Pennsylvania’s own system of growing and dispensing medical marijuana still need to be developed before it becomes available.

Wolf said he expects the system, which will include doctors, patients, dispensers, growers and researchers, to be ready by 2018.

“They have to be background-checked and trained. We have to make sure that the research is being done at the universities,” he said. “So, we’re looking at 2018 before the whole thing is up and running.”

The system will include strict electronic tracking that will follow a seed used to grow marijuana all the way until it is sold as a product for medicinal use.

ID cards may also be issued to patients approved for medical marijuana use.