The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed Senate Bill 3, which legalizes marijuana in the state for medicinal purposes. Gov. Tom Wolf (D) said he will sign the bill when it lands on his desk, according to CBS Philly.
State Rep. Margo Davidson said the bill garnered bipartisan support in the House. Medical marijuana is already legal in 24 states.
Rep. Davidson said she voted to pass the bill, saying marijuana can be effective for many patients battling a variety of diseases and conditions. "One of the main ones is epilepsy, particularly in children," said Rep. Davidson, according to the report. "Cannabis has been shown to really provide amazing results in treating epilepsy in children, diminishing the symptoms, relieving the pain."
Lisa Rough, legislative specialist with Leafly, a medical cannabis resource center, added medical marijuana can also decrease opioid abuse. "States that have had legalized medical marijuana have seen a drastic drop in opiate-related deaths and in the abuse of opioids," she said, according to the report.