Just two weeks into its operation, more than 6,000 individuals have already registered for the new medical marijuana program (MMP) in Pennsylvania.
According to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, the program has also had over 300 caregivers registering since it kicked off.
In his statement, Wolf terms the demand surge as an indication of the vital necessity for this particular essential medication.
The state law that's responsible for the implementation of the program allows the access to medical marijuana to individuals but under the supervision of an accredited medical practitioner.
The marijuana is for individuals suffering from particular types of illnesses as indicated in an exclusive list, together with 17 basic qualifying conditions.
This law, in particular, allows oils, pills, liquid or vapor-administered marijuana, but not marijuana in standard plant form.
What's more, the doctors in charge must certify the illness while patients must subsequently obtain an exclusive identification card from the concerned health department.
The qualifying conditions include cancer, AIDS, autism, Crohn's disease and chronic pain.
Medical Marijuana Registry for Caregivers and Patients
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, patients with conditions that mandate for special intervention can now be glad that medical marijuana in the unique marijuana therapeutic program has been made legal in the region.
This announcement was made by the state officials in Harrisburg as they were launching a new caregiver and patient registry which has since witnessed an overwhelmingly affirmative response, as the numbers indicate.
To have access, both the caregivers and patients need to register themselves at the official website as provided by the healthcare department.
In his statement to the public, Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) Director John Collins indicated that all the residents interested in making use of marijuana to alleviate their medical conditions should consult their physicians.
This is in order to ensure that these physicians are registered to the domain to allow them to participate in this program.
Up until now, there are over 100 doctors who have been certified to participate in the newly established program, according to Collins.
As provided for by the state law, patients who need this "special intervention" for their conditions can apply for a medical marijuana card issued by the state.
They must have doctors verify that they possess any of the 17 qualified medical conditions that include cancer, epilepsy, seizure disorders and multiple sclerosis, as aforementioned.
The qualified patients will only receive an exclusive medical marijuana identification card (Pennsylvania-based) under the recommendation of a doctor.
This ID will consequently allow them to purchase medical marijuana from any of the several authorized and licensed dispensaries.
The dispensaries which are also approved are permitted to sell accessories such as standard "vaping accessories" for use in administering medical marijuana.
In the interim, the State of Pennsylvania has certified 329 applications courtesy of the "safe harbor" program, permitting caregivers of anyone who is younger than age 18 to get medicine from other nations.
With this new law, many patients with severe medical conditions are now able to lead a quality life courtesy of the Pennsylvania MMP that offers medical marijuana access to patients through an effective and safe delivery method.
It is merely the balance between a patient's necessity to access the latest treatment options for patient safety and care.
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