Can Pennsylvania doctors prescribe marijuana to their patients?

On Behalf of | Feb 21, 2019 | Drug Crimes, Firm News |

For the last several years, medical marijuana has been in the national news. While some fear that allowing it to be used in the medical field is a slippery slope to allowing its permissible use by everyone, there is no doubt that for some medical patients marijuana is a life-changing drug. Different jurisdictions throughout the nation have different laws regarding how it may be prescribed and who may use it. Readers with questions about the legality of medical marijuana in their communities should seek their own legal support.

However, physicians and other medical professionals sit in a precarious position with regard to this national hot button topic. Although they may believe that medical marijuana is a good treatment for their patients, they may fear what will happen to their licenses if they prescribe it. Throughout the nation, marijuana is still recognized, at least at the federal level, as an illegal substance.

In Pennsylvania, doctors must register with the state to gain permission to prescribe medical marijuana. They will have their licenses checked and will be required to take a training course that provides information about the drug’s use by medical professionals. In the end, their pursuit of permission to prescribe medical marijuana must be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

A doctor who fails to take these steps may run into problems with the state and their licensing authority if they are not approved to provide medical marijuana prescriptions to their patients. As the law concerning this topic is ever-changing it is important that medical professionals with legal questions about it talk to their licensing attorneys for the best possible information.