HARRISBURG, Pa. (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA/AP) – Pennsylvania’s Department of Health expects to begin working soon with physicians from health systems and professional organizations as it writes medical marijuana program regulations.

Secretary of Health Karen Murphy said Tuesday that her department also will seek guidance from the physicians on carrying out the medical marijuana law’s research program.

The department says it’ll take until early 2018 to make medical marijuana available to eligible patients. However, Gov. Tom Wolf tells the “KDKA Morning News” it won’t take that long to get access.

“To have it up and running is what [Secretary Murphy] is talking about and that’s 150 centers to dispense medical marijuana, research programs that are going on in universities…[that] will take until 2018,” Gov. Wolf said.

“In the meantime though, there are provisions in the bill to allow minors to get medical marijuana immediately and I have asked district attorneys all around the commonwealth to volunteer to not prosecute people who are using marijuana for medical purposes.”

Wolf adds most prosecutors he has talked to have agreed to not prosecute those in possession of medical marijuana.

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