CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Last week, news broke about the potential for medical marijuana dispensaries being located in Venango County.
Even so, for the other counties in the region, there isn’t similar talk.
In Clarion County, Commissioner Ted Tharan said he hadn’t heard any discussions about the subject.
The responses were the same in Jefferson and Forest counties.
Jefferson County Commissioner Jeff Pisarcik, County District Attorney Jeff Burkett, and Susan Ford, Executive Director of the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, said they hadn’t had any discussions or heard talk about dispensaries.
In Forest County, Commissioner Basil Huffman had similar sentiments.
“I understand it’s become quite a moneymaker in some states, like California and Colorado. I’m not against it if it really helps people that need it,” Huffman said.
“But, hopefully it doesn’t turn into what we’ve had with opiate pain killers,” Huffman said.
Last week, at the Venango County Association of Township Officials meeting, Elam Herr, the assistant executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, spoke about the possibility.
“There is the possibility of it coming to Venango County,” Herr said. “We wanted to put everyone on notice that no one knows for sure where the dispensaries will be or where the growing facilities will be.”
“It will take at least a couple of years before the first one is up and running, and then we’ll see after that,” Herr said.
Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act went into effect in May.
The legislation includes regulations for 25 medical marijuana growers and processors and up to 150 dispensaries.
Herr explained that for each of the 50 licenses granted, there can be three dispensaries.
Herr also said that for medical marijuana, the chemical that causes a high, THC, is removed and what is left is for the treatment of pain.
The dispensaries are run as commercial operations and will look like drug stores.
Herr said he also had not heard of possible dispensaries being located in Jefferson, Clarion, or Forest counties.
“Personally speaking, if the intent of the law is to make medical marijuana available to those that need it, there will have to be one somewhere in the area so individuals can readily get it. Where that may be I have no idea,” Herr said.
