Pennsylvania medical officials have given the thumb's up to doctors to prescribing medical marijuana for patients with anxiety disorders. This decision happens just one month after Ohio officials refused to do the same.

The new regulation from the Pennsylvania Department of Health went into effect this month. While the measure allows for prescribing marijuana, it also mandates that cannabis not be the first choice, but rather used in tandem with traditional treatments. 

Health officials have expanded the pool of patients eligible to receive medical cannabis access.

The State Health Department Secretary publicly announced on Thursday that patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders and/or Tourette syndrome will be eligible to receive recommendations to legally access medical cannabis products. The new rules take effect on July 20.

Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman called the changes “a truly powerful expansion” of the state’s program.

University of the Sciences, a Philadelphia-based university, has announced the launch of an addition to their Masters of Business Adminstration (MBA) specifically designed for the cannabis industry. While other courses touch on cannabis topics, USciences believes this is the first course of its kind to tie in commerce of cannabis, hemp, and dispensary operations.

Later this July, Pennsylvania’s list of 21 conditions that qualify for medical marijuana treatments will grow to 23. On Thursday, Pennsylvania’s Department of Health approved the addition of two new qualifying conditions: anxiety and Tourette Syndrome. According to Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, the decision to add the two conditions wasn’t an easy one. But ultimately, Levine approved the conditions in light of growing evidence that cannabis can be an affective adjunct to traditional anxiety and Tourette Syndrome treatments.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Health last week announced a medical marijuana research program involving clinical registrants and approved universities is to kick off in the state.

The program will start with three clinical registrants, who each have a grower/processor and a dispensary permit. The initiative will see the collaborations conducting clinical research on any of the 21 conditions for which the use of medical marijuana is approved for in Pennsylvania.

Gas station and convenience store chain Sheetz is probably best known for its massive selection of snacks and touchscreen ordering system.

Now, the chain is diving headfirst into the CBD craze. As announced by the company earlier today, Sheetz is now adding a full line of CBD products to its offerings.

Pennsylvania is getting ever closer to legal recreational marijuana but policymakers still face tough questions about what this potentially multi-billion-dollar industry would look like.

In December, Gov. Tom Wolf signaled he's open to it after years of ambivalence and caution. Newly elected Lt. Gov. John Fetterman subsequently embarked on a 67-county listening tour to collect public input.

Pennsylvania Senator Daylin Leach and Senator Sharif Street recently unveiled their plan to introduce legislation, Senate Bill 350 (“SB 350”), that — if passed — would legalize adult-use cannabis and create a corresponding regulatory program. SB 350 would permit adults over the age of 21 to purchase and consume adult-use cannabis, and, to grow up to six plants per household.

The state regulatory authority will license cannabis businesses, including cultivation facilities, processors, dispensaries, public lounges and delivery services. There is no limit as to how many licenses the regulatory authority may issue. Additionally, licensees currently active under the state’s medical cannabis program will automatically be issued licenses to enter into the adult-use cannabis space.

Civic leaders in the borough of Steelton, Pennsylvania unanimously passed an ordinance to decriminalize possession of small quantities of marijuana on Tuesday evening. At a special meeting called to considerer the proposal, members of the borough council voted 5-0 to remove criminal penalties for first-time offenders possessing less than 30 grams of cannabis. Simple possession will instead be charged as a summary offense and be subject to a fine of $25 to $100.

Brian Proctor, the president of the borough council, said in a press release that the town was actively pursuing cannabis reform.