Marijuana Business Factbook 2019

Marijuana Business Factbook 2019 Chapter 2 | State-By-State: Legal Overview, Market Data and Outlook 152 © Copyright 2020, Marijuana Business Daily , a division of Anne Holland Ventures Inc. You may NOT copy this Factbook, or make public the data and facts contained herein, in part or in whole. For more copies or editorial permissions, contact CustomerService@MJBizDaily.com or call (720) 213-5992, ext. 1. PENNSYLVANIA Medical contined SUMMARY What to watch in 2020 The state’s medical marijuana industry grew substantially in 2019, with patient counts tripling over the course of the year. A big lift came from the addition of anxiety as a qualifying condition in late July. In less than a month, 3,000 people were certified to buy medical marijuana because of anxiety disorders. MMJ prices will likely come down now that producers are fully operational, which should serve to increase access and boost sales. Pennsylvania is another state on the short list to legalize adult-use cannabis in the coming years, as Gov. Tom Wolf has signaled his support for the idea. It remains to be seen if lawmakers will take up the issue in 2020. Marijuana Business Opportunity Rank for 2020 A- Skyrocketing patient counts offer vast potential for existing MMJ businesses in Pennsylvania. Regulators have shown a willingness to add new qualifying conditions, the sale of cannabis flower is now underway, licensing fees are reasonable and medical centers are facilitating the patient recommendation process for physicians—which is currently a barrier to patient access. However, there are no new opportunities for plant-touching operations. Ancillary firms continue to have significant opportunities― especially those that provide indoor growing equipment and heating and cooling services―as all of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana must be grown indoors. Recreational marijuana legalization is a possibility in the state, though there’s no firm timeline for when it could materialize.