Marijuana Dispensary Approved In Horsham

HORSHAM, PA — A medical marijuana dispensary in Horsham was one of 23 such facilities approved by the Pennsylvania state government on Tuesday.

CB Health Services, LLC, at 255 Horsham Rd., received a permit under the state's medical marijuana program. It now will have six months to become operational before it can begin dispensing medical marijuana.

"The permitting of these locations as part of Phase II of the medical marijuana program will ensure more people have access to medical marijuana close to home," PA Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release. "Medical marijuana is an essential form of treatment for Pennsylvanians suffering from one of 21 serious medical conditions. This step continues the growth of our scientific, medically-based medical marijuana program."

If all 23 sites approved on Tuesday become operational, there will be a total of 79 dispensaries in Pennsylvania. Each is eligible to open a maximum of three locations.

In Pennsylvania, you must be at least 18 years old, a resident of the state and be diagnosed by a doctor as having a debilitating medical condition to buy cannabis products at legal dispensaries.

After receiving a doctor's recommendation, patients must register with the Pennsylvania Department of Health as a qualifying patient.

Marijuana for medical use in Pennsylvania may be distributed as pills, oils, topical creams or ointments, tinctures and liquids as well as in "dry form" for smoking.

More than 98,000 patients in Pennsylvania have registered to participate in the medical marijuana program, and over 66,000 have identification cards and are able to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary. Approximately 1,380 physicians have registered for the program, 945 of whom have been approved as practitioners.

In recent years, doctors have begun prescribing medical marijuana for a variety of illnesses, from chronic pain, glaucoma, muscle spasms and seizures to helping ease loss of weight and appetite for patients with AIDS, cancer and other diseases.

Among the other dispensaries approved on Tuesday was one in Doylestown and another in Philadelphia.

Photo via Shutterstock