Status: Medical Use

History:

2015: Municipal reforms begin (decriminalisation in some cities and regions)
2016: Medical cannabis legalised

Policy Framework:

• Patients must have a qualifying condition (there are 23 listed);
• Patients must be certified by a doctor and register to the programme to obtain medical cannabis legally;
• 30-day supply as prescribed by a doctor;
• No allowance made for patients to cultivate their own cannabis at home;
• Pennsylvania can have up to 25 licensed medical cannabis growers and up to 50 dispensaries;
• Medical cannabis can only be obtained from a dispensary;
• There are an estimated 116,000 registered medical cannabis patients in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health;
• Possession of less than 30g (1oz) of cannabis for recreational use is a misdemeanour punishable by up to 30 days in prison and a fine of up to $US500;
• Possession of over 30g of recreational cannabis is a misdemeanour punishable by up to a year in prison and fines of up to $US5000;
• Sale or distribution of less than 30g of cannabis without remuneration is a misdemeanour punishable by up to 30 days in prison and fines of up to $US500;
• Sale or distribution of more than 30g of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to $US15,000;
• Cultivation of any number of plants is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to $US15,000.

Outcomes:

• Between 2005 and 2017, cannabis use disorder in people over the age of 12 decreased from 1.5% to 1.4%.

Source: https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/state/pennsylvania/crime