Adams County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Adams County?

The cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in Adams County under the State of Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act (2016 Act 16) and its 2021 Act 44 amendment. The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) oversees the state’s Medical Marijuana Program.

To operate a medical cannabis cultivation business in Adams County, the medical cannabis [grower-processor](https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/Medical Marijuana/Pages/Growers-Processors.aspx) permit granted by the Medical Marijuana Program is a prerequisite. It allows the licensee to cultivate medical cannabis crops and manufacture medical cannabis products.

Section 616 of the Medical Marijuana Act authorizes the issuance of only 25 medical cannabis grower-processor permits across the state. However, a 26th permit was authorized by court order, according to the Office of Medical Marijuana’s July 2022 report. As of that date, among the 26 licenses awarded, 23 were operational for both cultivation and manufacturing.

The following requirements must be met by those applying for the medical cannabis grower-processor permit:

1. Pay the non-refundable $10,000 application fee.
2. Pay the $200,000 permit fee, which is refundable if the application is denied.
3. Submit documentation of having venture capital worth $2 million, with $500,000 deposited in a bank.
4. Submit documentation of compliance with the Medical Marijuana Act’s Section 2107 on municipal zoning rules.
5. Submit documentation of having the capability to secure the facility against illegal activities, theft, and intrusion.
6. Submit a diversity plan.

The Medical Marijuana Act’s Section 702 requires that medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and storage be done indoors, with the building fully enclosed. All activities related to medical cannabis must be hidden from public view. The facility must have a security system in place, operational 24 hours a day, and equipped with video surveillance cameras and electronic locks. Videos must be saved for not less than 180 days.

There must be signage at all entry points warning that entry is not allowed for unauthorized individuals. The interior of the facility must be sectioned off by use. Only staff who are necessary must be allowed to enter each area. Sections must be identified by signage with dimensions of at least one square foot. The letters must not be smaller than half an inch high. Guests allowed into the facility must be accompanied by staff throughout their stay.

Only pesticides approved for use on medical cannabis crops and registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are allowed for use in licensed medical cannabis grower-processor facilities. Each facility is required to set up an online inventory tracking system linked with the medical cannabis database of the DOH. The inventory must monitor all medical cannabis plants and products of the facility.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Adams County?

It is legal to manufacture medical cannabis products in Adams County is legal as mandated by the State of Pennsylvania’s 2016 Act 16 and 2021 Act 44. Only medical cannabis grower-processor licensees of the Medical Marijuana Program are allowed to do so. They must comply with all the application requirements and operational rules discussed previously.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Adams County?

It is legal to sell medical cannabis and medical cannabis products by retail to medical cannabis cardholders in Adams County as stipulated by 2016 Act 16 and 2021 Act 44 of the State of Pennsylvania. The medical cannabis dispensary permit must first be acquired from the Medical Marijuana Program to be able to do so.

Section 616 of the Medical Marijuana Act authorizes the issuance of only 50 medical cannabis dispensary permits throughout the state, but each permit holder may operate a maximum of three dispensary locations. A maximum of five medical cannabis grower-processor licensees may be awarded the medical cannabis dispensary permit, as well. As of the July 2022 Report of the Office of Medical Marijuana, there were 161 active licensed dispensaries in the state.

The following requirements must be met by those applying for the medical cannabis dispensary permit:

1. Pay the non-refundable $5,000 application fee.
2. Pay the $30,000 permit fee, which is refundable if the application is denied.
3. Submit documentation of having venture capital worth $150,000.
4. Submit documentation of compliance with municipal zoning rules, as required by the Medical Marijuana Act’s Section 2107.
5. Submit documentation of being able to protect the facility against illegal activities, theft, and intrusion.
6. Submit a diversity plan.
7. Submit a business plan.

Section 802 of the Medical Marijuana Act allows only indoor retail selling by licensed medical cannabis dispensaries. However, this was amended by Section 802(a)(1) of 2021 Act 4 to allow pickups at curbside.

Section 801 of the Medical Marijuana Act states that in each 83-day period, a medical cannabis cardholder is allowed to purchase from a licensed dispensary only a 90-day supply of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products. This is determined by the dosage in the patient’s certification found in the online registry.

Edible or smokable medical cannabis products are not allowed to be sold by licensed medical cannabis dispensaries. Allowed forms of medical cannabis for retail are leaves, liquids, tinctures, oils, tablets, gels, ointments, creams, and other topical preparations. Medical cannabis forms for vaping are likewise allowed, except for those on the list of forbidden products issued by the DOH.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Adams County?

The delivery of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to medical cannabis cardholders by licensed medical cannabis dispensaries is not legal in Adams County, according to the State of Pennsylvania’s 2016 Act 16 and 2021 Act 44. However, medical cannabis licensees are allowed by 2021 Act 44 Section 703 to deliver medical cannabis and its products among themselves.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Adams County

Residents of Adams County can get a medical cannabis card by first creating an account on the online Medical Marijuana Program Registry of the State of Pennsylvania to acquire a patient identification number (PIN). A caregiver must do this for a patient younger than 18 or an incapacitated adult patient. A copy of the applicant’s state ID and home address recognized by the USPS are required.

The patient must then be examined by a medical cannabis health practitioner approved by the DOH. Six of them are in Adams County. If the patient is diagnosed with one of the following qualifying ailments, the health practitioner will post the patient’s certification on the online registry:

• Central nervous system nervous tissue damage with intractable spasticity
• Terminal illness
• Parkinson's disease
• Tourette syndrome
• AIDS
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Crohn's disease
• Intractable seizures
• Opioid use disorder
• Sickle cell anemia
• HIV
• Multiple sclerosis
• Epilepsy
• Anxiety disorders
• Cancer, including remission therapy
• Huntington's disease
• Neuropathies
• Severe chronic or intractable pain
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Glaucoma
• Autism

The patient's certification may include the names of up to two caregivers.

The patient and caregiver will get an email from the Medical Marijuana Program. It will offer instructions on how to finish the online application and pay the fee of $50. This is not charged to recipients of the following assistance programs:

• Medicaid
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Needs Enhancement Tier (PACENET)
• Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

The medical cannabis cards will be mailed to the patient and the caregiver.

Further information may be requested from:

Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program

888-733-5595

7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, including weekends and holidays

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Adams County?

The State of Pennsylvania does not impose a state sales tax on medical cannabis, according to the state’s Department of Revenue. However, its medical cannabis taxation includes a 5% gross receipts tax on the sales of licensed grower-processors to licensed dispensaries. Furthermore, all medical cannabis licensees must pay normal business taxes.

All medical cannabis tax revenues and fees from medical cannabis applicants and licensees go to the Medical Marijuana Program Fund and are allocated as follows:

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Adams County

Medical cannabis was legalized in the State of Pennsylvania, including Adams County, in 2016.

Data on the FBI Crime Explorer page shows that in 2015, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 18,470 marijuana possession arrests and 4,375 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 22,845 marijuana offense arrests statewide.

In 2017, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 23,127 marijuana possession arrests and 4,666 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 27,793 marijuana offense arrests across the state.

In 2019, there were 11,239 marijuana possession arrests and 1,117 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 12,356 marijuana offense arrests throughout the state.

In 2021, the latest data showed 1,276 marijuana possession arrests and 72 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 1,348 marijuana offense arrests in the state.

The number of DUI arrests statewide during those years was as follows:

• 2015: 46,904 arrests
• 2017: 45,492 arrests
• 2019: 21,137 arrests
• 2021: 3,903 arrests