Bucks County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Bucks County?

Yes, cultivation is legal in Bucks County. On April 17, 2016, Senate Bill 3 legalized the medical use of cannabis in Pennsylvania. However, recreational use of cannabis is still illegal in the state. According to the Pennsylvania Code, Title 28, Section 1151.23, a grower or processor may only grow, harvest, store, or process seeds, medical marijuana plants (both immature and mature), medical marijuana, or medical marijuana products in an indoor and secure facility. The facility must have an enclosed area that is out of public sight for the loading and unloading of medical marijuana products.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health issues permits for no more than 25 growers/processors. At a minimum, the application process requires an applicant to:

• Apply for and be awarded a permit before growing/processing medical marijuana
• Provide information in the application form, including the ability to maintain effective security to prevent diversion, abuse, or other illegal conduct, provide a diversity plan, and proof of municipality zoning requirements compliance
• Submit a permit application with an initial non-refundable fee of $10,000, a permit fee of $200,000 (refundable if the permit is not granted), and proof of $2 million worth of capital 

The cultivators whose permits are approved must complete a two-hour training course. Moreover, the department may provide for many other requirements through temporary regulations.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Bucks County?

Yes. The application process for cultivators and processors/ manufacturers is the same. Within the first 6 months after the Pennsylvania Department of Health determines the processor/ manufacturer to be operational, they shall provide the department with a projection of the amount of medical marijuana products it will produce and in what form. Should there be a potential increase or decrease in the projected amount, the manufacturer shall notify the department in writing immediately within any subsequent 6-month period.

The Pennsylvania Code, Section 1151.28 says that the manufacturer may only process medical marijuana for dispensing to a patient/ caregiver in the following forms:

• Pill
• Oil
• Topical forms, including creams, ointments, or gel
• A form medically appropriate for administration by nebulization or vaporization
• Tincture
• Liquid

The processor/ manufacturer may not produce, manufacture, or assemble any medical marijuana product, device, or instrument without the prior approval of the department.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Bucks County?

Yes, medical cannabis retail is legal in Bucks County. The department issues the permits for no more than 50 dispensaries in Pennsylvania. Each dispensary is allowed to have no more than three separate locations. The application process requires an applicant to:

• Apply for and be awarded a permit before dispensing medical marijuana
• Provide information in the application form, including the description of business organization and activities, ability to maintain effective security to prevent diversion, abuse, or other illegal conduct, provide a diversity plan, and proof of municipality zoning requirements compliance
• Submit a permit application with an initial non-refundable fee of $5,000, a permit fee of $30,000 (refundable if the permit is not granted), and proof of $150,000 worth of capital 

The dispensaries whose permits are approved must complete a two-hour training course. On top of that, the department may provide for many other requirements through temporary regulations.

The patient must be a Pennsylvania resident and must have a serious medical condition approved by a certifying doctor who is registered under the medical marijuana program. Patients below 18 years old with a serious medical condition may get medical marijuana through a registered caregiver.

Prior to dispensing medical marijuana to a patient or caregiver, the dispensary shall:

• Verify the validity of the patient/ caregiver identification card using the program’s electronic tracking system
• Review the patient information and most recent certification by using the electronic tracking system to access the Department of Health’s database
• Prepare a receipt of the transaction and endorse the receipt to the department using the electronic tracking system
• Provide a copy of the transaction receipt to the patient/ caregiver

The cannabis products available are pills, oil, creams, ointments, gel, tincture, and liquid.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Bucks County?

Cannabis delivery to residential addresses is not allowed in Bucks County. According to Pennsylvania Code, Section 1161.35, a dispensary may transport and deliver medical cannabis only to a medical cannabis organization between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. for the purposes of delivering medical marijuana among the licensed dispensary locations and returning medical marijuana to growers/processors. The licensed dispensaries may not transport to any location outside of the state.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Bucks County

The approved serious medical condition under the Pennsylvanian law is any one of the following:

• Cancer, including remission therapy
• Crohn's disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Anxiety disorders
• Autism
• Nervous tissue damage with a neurological indication of intractable spasticity and other associated neuropathies
• Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV / AIDS
• Huntington's disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intractable seizures
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Neuropathies
• Opioid use disorder for which therapeutic interventions are ineffective or contraindicated
• Severe and chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin
• Parkinson's disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness
• Tourette syndrome

To participate in the program and get a medical marijuana card, you need to:

• Apply on the website

• In order to know if you have registered successfully, you will be receiving a Patient ID number on the website and an email confirming your successful registration and stating your next steps

• See an approved physician to get certified

• Pay for your medical marijuana ID card

• Visit a Pennsylvania dispensary with your approved medical marijuana ID card

For questions or concerns, you may also mail or contact:

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Health & Welfare Building

625 Forster St., 6th Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17120

Phone: 888-733-5595

Email: RA-DHEPCS@pa.gov

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Bucks County?

Medical cannabis grossed over $132 million in total sales a year after the official start of the product being sold (2017). In 2021, the total medical cannabis sales reached close to $2.6 billion, and more than 31.2 million cannabis products have been sold by the grower/processors and dispensaries. This figure shows that the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania helps the economy to thrive.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, growers/processors are required to pay a 5% excise tax on the gross receipts from the medical cannabis sales to the dispensary. Medical cannabis is not subject to sales tax.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Bucks County

According to the data generated from the Pennsylvania State of Police, the DUI cases in 2019, 2020, and 2021 increased from 17,887 arrests to 18,747 and 21,309, respectively. Meanwhile, the number of drug offenses statewide varies drastically during 2019, 2020, and 2021— from 18,613 cases to 27,690 and 21,337, respectively.

The legalization of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania took place in April 2016. However, the 2019 records from the state’s crime database are the earliest available data.