Here’s what Pennsylvanians must do to legally obtain cannabis in their home state, where only medical marijuana is legal. In the seven states where recreational cannabis is legal and recreational dispensaries are open, patrons must simply provide identification (buyers must be 21 or older) to purchase the drug from retail stores. This information debuted as part of a larger story, "The Cannabis Question," published in the Summer 2019 issue of Muhlenberg Magazine and was current at press time.
Register with the state. This requires a computer with internet access—the Pennsylvania Department of Health says not to use a mobile device to register or access your account—and a state-issued driver’s license or ID card.
Obtain a “patient certification” from an approved provider. At press time, Lehigh County had 41 physicians who were approved to provide a patient certification. Of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, 46 had fewer than 10 approved providers, including 11 counties with no approved providers. The Department of Health cautions that “this doctor’s visit may not be covered by insurance and you would be responsible to pay out-of-pocket.” Only patients with a “serious medical condition” from a list of specific conditions are eligible.
Pay for a medical marijuana ID card. If the doctor certifies you in the system, you will be required to log back into the system (again with a computer, not a mobile device) and use a credit or debit card. The cards cost $50 annually. Patients who are part of certain government programs (such as Medicaid) may be eligible for a discount; requests for fee reductions can take up to 10 days to be processed.
Visit a dispensary. At press time, the state had 56 dispensaries with four in the Lehigh Valley (three in Allentown, one in Bethlehem). Some areas continue to be without local dispensaries; a patient in Bloomsburg, for example, would need to drive almost an hour to obtain medical marijuana. According to the Department of Health, some dispensaries require first-time patients to make an appointment.
