Category: Medical Marijuana

Recreational marijuana for adult-use purposes is set to become legal in Maryland after voters in the state voted  in favor of approving a ballot measure that will allow for the possession of small amounts of cannabis.

With the passage of the ballot measure, adults who are at least 21 years old will be allowed to use and possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana or up to two marijuana plants. The measure will go into effect beginning on July 1, 2023.

Under Maryland’s current legislature, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana is considered a civil offense and is punishable by a fine of up to just $100.

Authorization of this constitutional amendment will be subject to requirements set by the Maryland General Assembly regarding the use, distribution, possession, regulation and taxation of cannabis.

Given the major push across the United States to legalize cannabis for adult-use purposes over the past decade, this outcome was expected by many.

Washington D.C. and Virginia have already legalized recreation marijuana use and recent polling indicated that a majority of voters were in support of marijuana legalization efforts.

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A new report published by The Insight Partners shows that the global medical marijuana market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.2% reaching a value of $40 billion by 2028. The global medical marijuana market size was valued at just $11.70 billion in 2021. The increasing approvals of medical marijuana products and rising acceptance of the medicinal use of marijuana are among the key drivers for this market growth.

Researchers believe that the medical marijuana industry will be one of the fastest growing sectors investors can participate in over the next decade. The U.S. electric vehicle market, which is expected to exhibit substantial growth during the same forecast period (2021-2028), has an estimated CAGR of 25.4% according to a report published by Fortune Business Insights earlier in the year.

It is true that the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed many cannabis companies’ bottom lines; however, it hasn’t impacted the medical marijuana market in the same way it has the recreational/adult-use market. Increased demand from patients over the past year has helped prop up the medical marijuana industry during these tough times.

Millions of Americans, especially older individuals, are turning to medical marijuana for managing their chronic pain symptoms. 37 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana usage for medical purposes as of April 2022. This increasing number of states that have legalized medical marijuana makes it easier for more people to obtain a prescription from their doctor, making cannabis more accessible than ever before.

The medicinal potential of marijuana has attracted various researchers and companies to use marijuana in medical applications. For instance, in June 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex, the country’s first FDA-approved drug derived from cannabidiol, manufactured by G.W. Pharmaceuticals. It has been approved for adults and children aged two years or older.

The FDA also approved THC-based medicinal products such as Cesamet which contains nabilone as its active ingredient. Cesamet is a synthetically derived product that has a structure similar to THC, and is typically prescribed by doctors for the treatment of nausea in patients receiving chemotherapy, especially when other medications fail to control nausea and vomiting symptoms.

The FDA has already approved Marinol and Syndros for therapeutic uses in the US. Marinol and Syndros contain the active ingredient dronabinol — a synthetic 9-THC considered the psychoactive component of cannabis.

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Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Pennsylvania?

Yes! Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program, or “The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act (SB3),” allows people with specific medical conditions to use and purchase medical marijuana without having to worry about legal consequences.

As of February 2022, Pennsylvania is one of 37 states (plus Washington D.C.) to legalize medical marijuana in some form. The state’s program allows patients to apply for a marijuana card to obtain legal medical cannabis from licensed dispensaries throughout Pennsylvania if they’ve been diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions listed below:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Anxiety disorders
• Autism
• Cancer, including remission therapy
• Crohn’s disease
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the central nervous system (brain-spinal cord) with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, and other associated neuropathies
• Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV / AIDS
• Huntington’s disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intractable seizures
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Neuropathies
• Opioid use disorder for which conventional therapeutic interventions are contraindicated or ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is indicated in combination with primary therapeutic interventions
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness
• Tourette syndrome

How To Obtain A PA MMJ Card

Step 1: Get registered as a medical marijuana patient in the state of Pennsylvania.

The first step to get medical marijuana in Pennsylvania is to register. First, create a profile in the state’s Medical Marijuana Registry.

This profile includes basic information such as your legal name, current address, and contact information. To register for the medical marijuana program, you must have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or an ID card issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Here is more information on getting a driver’s license or ID card in Pennsylvania.

Step 2: Find a registered medical marijuana physician who is licensed by the state of Pennsylvania and willing to register you for a medical marijuana card.

To register with the state, a physician must be licensed by the state and willing to register you for a medical marijuana card. This means that he or she has completed an approved course on medical cannabis and passed an exam that certifies his/her knowledge of the subject.

Physicians can only register patients who are residents of Pennsylvania. Additionally, they may only register patients if they have a qualifying condition.

You can find a Pennsylvania approved physician here.

Becoming a Caregiver in PA

When completing your application in Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Registry, you can designate up to two caregivers to assist you in obtaining medical marijuana. Caregivers can be a spouse, a parent, or even a friend. Patients under the age of 18 are required to have a caregiver.

Caregivers also have to register for the medical marijuana program. All caregivers must complete a background check before being approved. Jump to Become a Medical Marijuana Caregiver page on the PA.gov website to find more information on how to register as a caregiver in Pennsylvania.

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