Gov. Wolf To Sign Medical Marijuana Bill Sunday

Gov. Tom Wolf will sign a bill legalizing medical marijuana at a ceremony Sunday in Harrisburg, his office confirmed.

The ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be held in the Rotunda of the capitol building. Advocates are expected to be present, a spokeswoman for the governor's office told Patch.

The bill, which will make Pennsylvania the 24th state to legalize marijuana for medical use, has passed both houses of government and sent to the governor's desk this week.

In March, after much debate, the House approved a bill that was then sent to the Senate, where some changes were made. The House then passed the Senate's version on Wednesday.

“I am proud and excited to sign this bill that will provide long overdue medical relief to patients and families who could benefit from this treatment. I applaud members of both parties in the House and Senate who have come together to help patients who have run out of medical options and want to thank the thousands of advocates who have fought tirelessly for this cause," the governor said in a statement.

According to the law, people seeking medical marijuana must have one of the following conditions: cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, sickle cell anemia, Huntington's disease, Crohn's disease, chronic pain, PTSD or autism.

Once the regulatory and growing process is established, patients will be able to seek a 30-day prescription for marijuana-based pills, oils, topical gels, creams, ointments or a liquid form with a vaporizer or nebulizer, the law states.

Medical marijuana in Pennsylvania will not be prescribed in a form that could be smoked, the law states.