In first year of medical marijuana, 80,000+ Pennsylvanians okayed to toke medicine

(*This story has been edited to reflect that more than 1,000 physicians have been approved to participate in the program, and to clarify the number of people approved to use medical marijuana.)

Pennsylvania’ medical marijuana industry now has 83,000 people who could legally use medical marijuana in the program’s first year.

During that time, more than 600,000 dispensations have been handed out — an average of a little more than seven per person authorized to use medical cannabis.

Passed in 2016, the program now has more than 1,000 physicians approved to participate in the program, while 116,000 people have registered overall. 71.5 percent of registries have then continued on to receive a medical marijuana card. The number of card carrying participants is about the same as the population of Upper Darby in Delaware County.

The program also has 12 operational grower/processors and approved 45 dispensaries across the state.

READ MORE: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman kicked off his marijuana legalization listening tour earlier this week.

“Our goal for the next year and beyond 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,” Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement.

Total medical marijuana purchases have added up to $132 million in sales, while the state has collected $2 million in taxes.