Pennsylvania proposes $50 medical marijuana registration fee

Looking for signs that Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program is nearing fruition?

State regulators are proposing a $50 annual fee for patients and caregivers who want to register for the nascent program, according to Lancaster Online.

Such details typically are a sign an MMJ program is in its final stages of preparation.

In fact, according to Lancaster Online, Pennsylvania’s top medical cannabis regulator said the registration fee is “one of the final pieces we need to have in place to launch the program.”

The state has been aiming to start the program sometime next year, and an industry insider recently told Marijuana Business Daily an “early 2018” launch isn’t out of the question.

Pennsylvania’s registration fee is relatively reasonable compared to some states. For example, Minnesota charges $200 annually and Arizona asks $150.

However, other states charge much less, such as Montana’s $5 fee.

Pennsylvania’s fee could be reduced or waived if a prospective patient can prove a financial hardship, according to Lancaster Online.

Applicants would have to prove that a registered doctor has certified the patient to be awarded an MMJ ID card.