Bill proposal would allow medical marijuana edibles in Pa. dispensaries
Pennsylvania medical cannabis patients currently have access to tinctures, pills, oils, topicals, and dry leaf to vaporize. A new bill will soon be introduced by state Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, to possibly expand those options and allow patients to purchase medical cannabis edibles.
Launglin said that 25 other states already allow patents to buy edibles — which are typically foods like cookies, candies, gummies, and other baked goods infused with cannabis. He said edibles have the benefit of gradual disbursement of cannabis, and Pennsylvania should join those other states in permitting their sale.
“For many patients, their medical conditions require gradual relief over an extended period of time,” said Laughlin in a press release. “Consuming medical cannabis in edible form is among the best ways to achieve the time-release effect that these patients need.”
Current law prohibits growers and processors from producing medical cannabis in the form of food products, and medical marijuana dispensaries in Pennsylvania can’t sell these food products.
Laughlin wants to allow licensed growers and processors to produce edibles, and dispensaries to sell them. Pennsylvania marijuana patients and caregivers are only allowed to incorporate medical marijuana into edible form in order to aid in a patient’s ingestion of the prescribed cannabis.
He said edibles produced by licensed providers would be tested by state-approved laboratories for THC distribution and potency. His bill would also ensure dispensary-sold edibles are clearly labeled and stored in child-proof containers.
“For many patients, edibles offer an easy and appropriate way to get relief from their medical conditions, and that’s always been the goal of medical cannabis: providing relief to patients,” said Laughlin.
Laughlin, along with Democratic state Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia, is also behind an effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania, but that effort has failed to advance in the General Assembly.
As of March, there are over 400,000 Pennsylvanians with an active patient certification to use medical cannabis, officials said.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.
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