A Bucks County, Pennsylvania man was wrongly denied addiction treatment funding because he was enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. Just a few weeks after the denial of funding, the man died from a drug overdose.

That story attracted the attention of Spotlight PA who then sought information regarding how many medical cannabis patients are enrolled for opioid use disorder in Pennsylvania. Citing the state’s medical cannabis law protecting patient and caregiver confidentiality, the Pennsylvania Department of Health refused to provide any information. 

Now, at the order of the Office of Open Records, ruling in favor of Spotlight PA; Pennsylvania officials will have to disclose how many medical cannabis patients are certified as treatment for opioid use disorder.

Spotlight PA was provided numbers on how many medical cannabis patients were enrolled for opioid use disorder in New York and New Jersey. According to a Cannabis Regulatory Commission spokesman, New Jersey has more than 2,200 patients enrolled for the condition. New York has more than 2,100