March 14, 2016
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a long-awaited medical marijuana bill.
The House is expected to begin voting at 1 p.m. Monday inside the state Capitol, ABC27 reports.
According to the Post-Gazette, the bill has been under debate for more than two years, and now, following more than 200 amendments and after being backed by Governor Tom Wolf, it appears to be closer than ever to a final vote.
The Senate approved medical marijuana bills in September 2014 and May 2015, the Post-Gazette reports, but the legislation did not fly immediately through the House.
The chamber has since held hearings, convened a task force to study the issue and added amendments to the bill bringing it back to the House.
If the House approves the amendments, the bill goes back to the Senate for approval.
The bill proposal establishes a program to make marijuana available to patients who have one of a list of diagnosed conditions, including cancer, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder, the Post-Gazette said. Patients would need a prescription from a doctor to obtain marijuana and smoking it would not be permitted for of use under the bill.
Patients could receive marijuana in pill, oil or vapor form. There would also be options for incorporating marijuana into food, the report states.
Medical marijuana is currently legal in 23 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
Read more at the Post-Gazette.
