Pennsylvania's Product Menu
Pennsylvania's medical cannabis program offers a broad range of product types, with some notable restrictions that set it apart from neighboring states. Understanding what's available — and what's not — helps patients make informed purchasing decisions.
Available Products
Flower
Flower became available in Pennsylvania in May 2018, shortly after the program launched, and was a game-changer for patient access and sales volume. However, Pennsylvania authorizes flower for vaporization only.
Act 16 does not authorize smoking (combustion) as a form of administration. Flower is sold for use in dry herb vaporizer devices. While enforcement in private homes is effectively nonexistent, the legal method is vaporization. Dispensaries cannot advise patients to smoke flower.
- Average price: $40–$65 per eighth (3.5g)
- Price per gram: $7.59 average (down 49% since 2021)
- Available in a wide variety of strains, indica, sativa, and hybrid
- No THC cap — high-potency strains are available
Vape Cartridges
Vape cartridges are the most popular product category in Pennsylvania. Available in 510-thread cartridges and proprietary pod systems (like PAX).
- Average price: $60–$70 per gram
- Distillate, live resin, and liquid live resin options
- Broad strain variety with terpene profiles listed
Concentrates
A range of concentrate products for patients who prefer dabbing or more potent forms:
- Types: Wax, shatter, budder, live resin, rosin, diamonds, sauce
- Average price: $50–$80 per gram
- Higher potency than flower — typically 60–90% THC
Tinctures and Oils
Sublingual tinctures and RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) provide precise, smokeless dosing options:
- Average price: $40–$80 per bottle
- Available in various THC:CBD ratios
- Ideal for patients who prefer not to inhale or need precise dosing
- RSO is popular for high-dose therapeutic use
Capsules and Pills
- Average price: $30–$60
- Precisely dosed — each capsule contains a specific mg of THC and/or CBD
- Familiar form factor for patients accustomed to traditional medications
- Longer onset (45–90 minutes) but longer-lasting effects
Topicals
Creams, salves, balms, and transdermal patches for localized relief:
- Average price: $25–$60
- Most topicals are non-intoxicating — they do not produce a "high"
- Transdermal patches can be systemic (producing whole-body effects)
- Popular for arthritis, muscle pain, and inflammation
What's NOT Available
No Edibles
Unlike nearly every other legal cannabis state, Pennsylvania dispensaries cannot sell edible cannabis products such as gummies, chocolates, baked goods, or infused beverages. If you want edibles, you are legally permitted to infuse cannabis into food at home using tinctures, RSO, or other dispensary products. Many patients use RSO or tincture drops in cooking and baking.
No Home-Grown Cannabis
Patients cannot grow their own cannabis. All medical cannabis must be purchased from a licensed dispensary. Home cultivation is a felony in Pennsylvania.
Supply Limits
| Maximum supply period | 90 days |
|---|---|
| Maximum units | 192 units |
| THC cap | None — no potency limits |
| Tracking | Electronic seed-to-sale system monitors patient allotments |
How to Choose Products
Your dispensary's pharmacist can help you navigate the product menu, but here are general guidelines:
- New to cannabis: Start with low-dose tinctures or capsules (2.5–5mg THC). Consider 1:1 THC:CBD ratios
- For quick relief: Vape cartridges offer the fastest onset (1–5 minutes)
- For long-lasting effects: Capsules, tinctures, and RSO last 4–8 hours
- For localized pain: Topicals apply directly to the affected area
- For maximum value: Flower offers the lowest per-gram cost at $7.59 average
For detailed cannabis education — dosing, methods, safety, and what to expect — visit TryCannabis.org.
Official Sources
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org
Related on this site: Pennsylvania Cannabis Prices & Ch..., Send a Message, Contact Us.