The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has approved a Senate-passed bill to allow all licensed medical marijuana grower-processors in the state to sell their cannabis products directly to patients.
The legislation—which has been amended to further grant grower permits to independent dispensaries—cleared the chamber in a 114-89 vote on Wednesday. Because it was revised, it must return to the Senate for concurrence before it’s potentially sent to the governor’s desk.
Under the measure, sponsored by Sen. Chris Gebhard (R), the state Department of Health would create a process to allow the state’s 10 independent marijuana grower-processors to apply to obtain a dispensary permit to engage in direct commerce with patients. On the flip side, as amended in House, the state’s four independent dispensaries could get grower permits to cultivate products in-house.
As it stands, Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law currently says that only 25 businesses can be licensed for marijuana growing and processing, and only five of those licensees can sell directly to patients through vertically integrated dispensaries.
That’s created a near-monopoly in the state, giving select out-of-state operators dominance over the industry, and supporters say allowing independent in-state growers to vertically integrate represents a partial remedy.
In the House Health Committee
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