Medical marijuana grower gets green light in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A licensed grower and processor of medical marijuana in western Pennsylvania is the first with state approval to begin operating.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said today the Department of Health has approved Cresco Yeltrah to begin growing and processing medical marijuana at its Jefferson County location. That makes it the first facility to be deemed fully operational in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program.

The department expects 11 other licensed grower-processors to be operational in the coming weeks. It issued the permits in June, selecting the 12 winners from among 177 applicants. The department has also issued permits to 27 entities to operate retail dispensaries.

It expects medical marijuana to be available to consumers next year. Wolf signed Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program into law last year.