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A proposal being considered in the state legislature would eliminate an unusual restriction in Pennsylvania that bans doctors from advertising their ability to approve patients for the state’s medical marijuana program.
Several medical marijuana advocates, patients, and doctors welcomed the idea, saying it would create a fairer system. Currently, large third-party companies — which offer to connect patients to doctors — are free to promote themselves on the radio, run newspaper ads, offer discounts on sites like Groupon, dominate Google searches, and put up signs on the side of roads. The advertising disparity was the subject of a Spotlight PA investigation last year.
But some supporters of medical marijuana raised concerns about other aspects of the bipartisan bill, which would represent a major update to the state’s medical marijuana law. The bill would allow doctors to approve patients for any medical condition — instead of one of 24 approved conditions — and eliminate a requirement that patients renew their card once a year.
“It’s not going to be medical any more,” said Lauren Vrabel, a cannabis pharmacist from Allegheny County and representative of the group Doctors for Cannabis Regulation. “This bill looks like an adult-use bill.”
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