“Welcome to West Virginia” sign along westbound U.S. Route 48 and West Virginia Route 55 east of Wardensville in Hardy County, West Virginia (Wikimedia/Famartin)
CHARLESTON, WV — Republican Gov. Jim Justice has signed legislation, Senate Bill 1037, into law amending West Virginia‘s nascent medical cannabis program.
The new law became effective upon passage.
The measure increases the total number of medical cannabis facilities in the state, and also permits those licensed to cultivate cannabis and to manufacture cannabis products to simultaneously operate dispensaries.
It also allows physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to pain patients without first requiring them to undergo treatment with opioids.
The new law also removes an existing regulation that requires dispensaries to have a licensed physician on staff at all times.
West Virginia lawmakers legalized medical cannabis access in 2016, but the program is yet to be operational.
Tags: Jim Justice, West Virginia, West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, West Virginia medical marijuana, WV SB 1037
