Pennsylvania Senate begins debating medical marijuana bill

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Senate has passed medical marijuana legislation for the second time in 11 months, and backers hope it can get to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk later this week. The Senate passed the bill Tuesday, 42-7, after making minor changes to legislation the House passed last month. House officials haven't given any assurances that the chamber will quickly pass this new version. The Senate already passed a similar bill nearly a year ago. The bill would let patients who suffer from a list of ailments obtain marijuana for therapeutic purposes. It sets standards for tracking plants, licensing growers, dispensaries and physicians. Patients could take the drug in pill, oil or liquid form, but wouldn't be able to legally obtain marijuana they could smoke or grow their own. Wolf supports making Pennsylvania the 24th state to enact a comprehensive public medical marijuana programs. The Pennsylvania Medical Society opposes it.

Pennsylvania Senate passed medical marijuana bill