Delaware County is part of a lucrative medical marijuana market in Pennsylvania with its three marijuana dispensaries and one grower/processor.

That number will only grow with Pennsylvania medical marijuana sales projected to reach $3 billion annually, writes Alex Rose for the Daily Times.

Two dispensaries, the Healing Research Center and Verilife, are both in Chester. Curaleaf is in Morton.

Curaleaf’s national revenues have grown 172% from the prior year for the third quarter, reports Matt Darin, president of the Central Region at Curaleaf.

Agri-Kind, Inc., a grower/processor, also located in Chester, has expanded its growing facility, increasing marijuana yields by 30 percent month-over-month during the pandemic, said Jon Cohn, CEO of Agri-Kind Inc.

“For the first time in a long time – it might be forever in the PA cannabis market – supply might be finally catching up with demand,” said Cohn.

Bi-partisan state legislation has been introduced to legalize recreational marijuana use. The legislation also allows nonviolent marijuana offenders in prison to be released and low-level marijuana offenses expunged.

State Republicans point out, however, that the federal government still considers marijuana illegal as a “Schedule I” drug.

Read more at the Daily Times about the growth of the marijuana industry.