A key House committee in Pennsylvania has given approval to legislation that would allow all licensed marijuana growers and processors to sell marijuana directly to patients.
The House Health Committee voted 20 to 5 today to pass Senate Bill 773, a little over a month after it was given approval by the full Senate in a 44 to 3 vote. Filed by Senator Chris Gebhard along with a bipartisan coalition of seven cosponsors, the measure must be approved through one more committee and then the full House of Representatives before it can be sent to Governor Josh Shapiro.
If passed into law Senate Bill 773 would allow all licensed marijuana growers to receive a dual license that also allows them to operate a dispensary where they can sell marijuana and marijuana products.
Under Pennsylvania’s current medical marijuana law, passed in 2016, no more than five of the state’s 25 licensed marijuana growers and processors can also operate a dispensary, with the test required to sell their product to a dispensary operated by someone else. SB 773 would change this to all all licensed growers to also operate a dispensary, if they choose.
The measure is supported by Senate Majority Leader Jay Costa, who says that the current law allows for a “monopoly-type situation with out-of-state, multi-state organizations coming in to the detriment of these independent grower-processors”.
You can find the full text of Senate Bill 773 by clicking here.
