Patient evaluations for medical marijuana start Friday in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — A medical cannabis health care network will begin taking appointments to certify and evaluate patients in Pittsburgh on Friday.

Nearly 200,000 patients are estimated to qualify for Pennsylvania medical marijuana cards under the Department of Health registry that was announced in November, according to Compassionate Certification Centers. Notifying the patient and caregiver registry is the first step people must take before getting a prescription.

• Pennsylvania starts signing up patients for medical marijuana
• Nearly 4,000 sign up for medical marijuana registry in a week

Compassionate Certification Centers' Pittsburgh location is on Stanwix Street in 2 Gateway Center. Its doors will open at 8 a.m. Friday to patients for medical cannabis certifications and evaluations.

TRENDING NOW:

• Summit Academy teacher accused of sex with student in her classroom
• Man who killed fiancee's son found guilty, sentenced to life in prison
• Woman shot to death in car with infant inside
• RAW VIDEO: Truck hauling lumber overturns near Monroeville

“We have been hand in hand with the patient community since the program's inception, preparing for this historic moment,” CEO Dr. Bryan Doner said in a news release. “Our company is ready to meet the patient influx with plans to have 10 centers open throughout Pennsylvania by February 2018.”

• Here's the list of Pa. doctors cleared to prescribe medical marijuana

One of the first people to receive an evaluation on opening day will be a Westmoreland County mother, Compassionate Certification Centers said. Diana Briggs, a medical cannabis advocate, was among 259 other Pennsylvanians who obtained a safe harbor letter to receive medical marijuana.

Briggs is looking to get medical marijuana for her son, who has intractable epilepsy, Compassionate Certification Centers said.

Cox Media Group