Lehigh Times

This year will mark more than half a decade since Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation that made medical marijuana available in the State of Pennsylvania.

Wolf, a Democrat, signed Senate Bill 3 on Apr. 17, 2016, according to the governor’s office.

Feb. 15, 2018 was the first time Pennsylvanians could access medical marijuana since the bill became law, he said in a tweet.

“Four years ago today, medical marijuana became available for Pennsylvanians,” Wolf wrote. “I'm proud to have signed medical marijuana into law. It brings relief to many people with medical conditions.”

Last June, Wolf boosted access to medical marijuana by signing House Bill 1024 into law.

HB 1024 set into motion the state Department of Health’s recommendations to revise the medical marijuana legalization law the governor signed five years before, a press release issued by his office said.

“It’s been five years since Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana, and in that time the Department of Health has examined the program’s successes and challenges and made important recommendations on improving the law,” Wolf said in the release. “This legislation provides important updates to our state’s medical marijuana program to ensure that patients have improved access to medication.”

According to the governor, the proposed legalization of recreational marijuana is in the works.

“I’m hoping we can soon legalize recreational marijuana, too,” he tweeted.

On the state Senate floor is Senate Bill 473, which would decriminalize the recreational use of marijuana.

Under the legislation, the state would form the Cannabis Regulatory Control Board that would oversee regulations of the industry from packaging labels to taxes, according to text made public by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

If passed and signed by the governor, the bill puts the Commonwealth on a list that includes 18 other states, Washington, D.C. and Guam.