Lt. Gov. John Fetterman

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be in Warren on Saturday to listen to opinions on the possibility of the state legalizing recreational marijuana.

Whether or not Pennsylvania joins the list of states that have taken that step, the state’s first year of legal medical marijuana has been a successful one, according to a Friday release from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office.

“The first year that the state’s medical marijuana program has been operational tells us that this program is working to help Pennsylvanian’s in need of this medication,” Wolf said. “Patients are realizing the benefits and there has been steady, positive progress that I am pleased to report.”

According to the release, medical marijuana was dispensed almost 600,000 times in 2018 to 83,000 citizens.

There are almost 1,000 physicians who have been approved to certify patients to participate in the program.

In addition to the 83,000 who have purchased medical marijuana and already have identification cards, according to the release, more than 30,000 more Pennsylvanians have registered to participate in the program.

There are 45 active dispensaries in the state, including two in Erie County.

“Our goal for the next year and beyond is to increase the number of grower/processors and dispensaries operation, to register even more physicians, and to continue the growth of our scientific, medically-based program,” Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said.

Wolf signed the Medical Marijuana Law in 2016.

In a December Tweet, Wolf said it was time the state took “a serious and honest look at recreational marijuana.”

Fetterman is scheduled to be at Warren Public Library from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday as part of his statewide listening tour. He plans to visit all 67 counties to hear from citizens regarding recreational marijuana.