"It is clear that the current attempts to prevent cannabis use are an enormous burden on taxpayers that mean their money isn't spent on other priorities,"
State health officials said the changes will include a revised definition of chronic pain, where medical marijuana could be used in conjunction with a chronic pain treatment, or if all opioid treatments aren’t working, medical marijuana can be used in place of it.
“We have expanded the program,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who is a member of the advisory board. “The program is to treat people with very serious medical problems.”
“We’ve also expanded the number of diseases that can be treated with medical marijuana,” “One of those is pain, chronic pain, and also opioid addiction. Frankly, less chance that if they do not have an opioid prescription, that they would turn to something other than heroin.”
Changes will include the sale of the flower form of medical marijuana being available in state dispensaries this summer, to be consumed in vapor form.
The regulations are expected to go into effect May 17.
“There’s going to be an expansion of the program to include eight medical colleges within Pennsylvania that will start doing some research,” Adams said.
Source – WFMZ
Image – Pixabay
