Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program celebrated a successful first year after thousands of patients generated millions of dollars in sales and provided substantial tax revenue, writes Sam Ruland for the York Daily Record.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, more than 116,000 Pennsylvanians are already registered as patients. Of these, 83,000 have received their identification card that allows them to buy cannabis products from dispensaries statewide.

Also, nearly 1,000 physicians have been approved to certify patients for participation in the program, and more than 1,460 physicians are registered to be certified.

Twenty-five grower/processors have been approved by the program with 12 already operational. Fifty permits for dispensaries have also been issued, with 45 locations cleared to start operations.

Meanwhile, state dispensaries completed close to 600,000 medical marijuana sales that amounted to $132 million in total sales, and more than $2 million was generated in tax revenue from growers and processors.

Now, the Department of Health has outlined its goals for this year.

“Our goal is to increase the number of grower/processors and dispensaries operating, to register even more physicians, and to continue the growth of our scientific, medically based program,” said Dr. Rachel Levine, Department of Health Secretary.

Read more about the program’s first anniversary in the York Daily Record here.

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