New proposed laws in Pennsylvania may considerably broaden which medical doctors are in a position to prescribe medical hashish. 

The laws, which is now awaiting remaining approval from the state’s well being secretary, Rachel Levine, would permit nurse practitioners and podiatrists to grant approval for medical hashish playing cards.

This could dramatically broaden entry to the state’s medical hashish program, which is already thought to have over 700,000 sufferers, and imply hundreds extra medical professionals are in a position to prescribe.

Present rules imply that solely licensed medical medical doctors or medical doctors of osteopathic drugs can certify sufferers for Pennsylvania’s medical hashish program.

In keeping with Highlight PA, affected person teams have recommended the transfer may additionally scale back the value of acquiring a medical hashish card.

Nurse practitioners, who’re already licensed to supply numerous types of care equivalent to prescribing medicines and diagnosing circumstances, would be capable of certify sufferers while not having direct doctor oversight for hashish playing cards.

This shift aligns with comparable practices in over 20 U.S. states the place nurse practitioners can advocate hashish for medicinal use.

It additionally comes amid a bipartisan push by the state legislature to loosen restrictions for nurse practitioners, enabling them to function independently from physicians.