A Pennsylvania Department of Health–approved physician can certify your serious medical condition. We'll walk you through the process with care and straight answers.
Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Program is run by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Use your Pennsylvania driver's license or state ID and an email address to get a Patient ID number.
They review your history and, if appropriate, certify your serious medical condition for up to one year.
Pay in the registry within 60 days of certification. The card is printed and mailed to you.
Bring your card and a photo ID. Some dispensaries ask first-time patients to book an appointment.
Pennsylvania is one of the few states that lists opioid use disorder as a serious medical condition. The criteria are specific, and it's meant to support treatment, not replace it.
It qualifies when conventional treatments are contraindicated or ineffective, or when medical marijuana is indicated as an add-on to primary treatment.
It isn't a substitute for medications for opioid use disorder or counseling. An approved physician decides whether it fits your situation.
Tell your treatment provider and anyone prescribing your medications, so your care stays coordinated and safe.
Free, confidential help, 24/7: SAMHSA National Helpline for treatment referrals and information.
1-800-662-4357An approved physician must confirm one of these conditions.
*Under the criteria described above. Traumatic brain injury and Type II diabetes are approved for research purposes only. See the official list.
Walk-in, online ordering for in-store pickup, and curbside pickup, with discounts for first-time patients. Altoona has several other licensed dispensaries, including Zen Leaf, and your card works at any of them.
See all locations on the Department of Health dispensary list.
The National Historic Landmark where trains still bend around the mountainside — ride the funicular up and watch them pass.
“Thirty years on the railroad left me with a bad back. The physician was thorough, and the steps were easy to follow.”
— Ron D., Altoona“My anxiety qualified, which I didn't expect. Registering first made the visit quick.”
— Kelsey P., HollidaysburgYes, under specific criteria: when conventional treatment is contraindicated or ineffective, or as an add-on to primary treatment.
No. It isn't a substitute for medications for opioid use disorder or counseling. Keep your treatment team informed.
The state ID card is $50 a year, or no cost if you're enrolled in Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, or WIC. The physician visit is separate.
Yes. Anxiety disorders are on Pennsylvania's list of serious medical conditions.
No. As of 2026, Pennsylvania allows medical marijuana only.
On the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program pages.
Altoona, the largest city in Blair County, was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in the Allegheny Mountains. Its heritage lives on at the Horseshoe Curve and the Railroaders Memorial Museum, alongside Lakemont Park's historic Leap-the-Dips coaster, Penn State Altoona, and the Altoona Curve. Altoona residents follow the same statewide rules as every patient in Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Program.
The program operates under the Medical Marijuana Act (Act 16 of 2016) and is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which approves physicians, issues ID cards, and licenses dispensaries.
Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Pennsylvania, and cannabis remains illegal under federal law. See the Department of Health for current rules.
Appointments with Department of Health–approved physicians.
Book Your Visit