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The state Tuesday gave the go ahead to Standard Farms LLC, Luzerne County&#8217;s only medical marijuana grower and processor, to begin production at its White Haven facility.The company is the second in the state permitted to begin accepting seeds and clone plants to grow for medical marijuana overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.Standard Farms did not respond to an email request for comment.Gov. Tom Wolf said the approval moves the state&#8217;s medical marijuana program &#8220;one step closer to becoming fully operational.&#8221;Since he signed the program into law on April 17, 2016, the Department of Health has issued 12 grower/processor permits and 27 dispensary permits, including one in Wilkes-Barre and another in Edwardsville. It&#8217;s approved two laboratories to test medication before it is delivered to patients. In addition, it&#8217;s a registry of doctors to certify patients to participate in the program.&#8220;We remain on track to provide medical marijuana safely and effectively to Pennsylvanians with serious medical conditions sometime in 2018. In the coming weeks, the Department of Health expects the rest of the grower/processors to be approved to begin production,&#8221; Wolf said in a prepared statement.The Department of Health conducted several inspections at Standard Farms&#8217; Susquehanna Street facility before approving production. The company has integrated the seed-to-sale tracking system approved by the state as part of the program.On Oct. 17, the department approved production for Cresco Yeltrah&#8217;s facility in Jefferson County. The company will grow medical marijuana that can be processed into oils, pills and other products for dispensaries. The law does not permit dispensaries to sell marijuana in leaf form for smoking. <div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jerry Lynottjlynott@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</shirttailMeta></div>

White Haven medical marijuana facility approved by state to begin production