ACLU Sues Pennsylvania County for Blocking Parolee Patient Access

The Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union is suing Lebanon County over its decision to prohibit people on parole and probation from using medical cannabis, the PA Post reports. The county announced earlier this month they would no longer allow registered patients to use cannabis if they were on probation or supervised release.  

The ACLU says at least seven other counties in the state have policies barring people on parole and probation from using medical cannabis and they hope the Lebanon County case has statewide implications. The group says county officials are not immediately detaining people but could put them in violation proceedings if they test positive for cannabis during their mandated check-ins. 

State ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak said that the state’s medical cannabis law “makes no exception for people on probation.” He estimates that there are about 60 medical cannabis patients in the county that could be impacted by the lawsuit. The group filed the lawsuit as a class-action and is seeking a preliminary injunction which would prevent the county from implementing the new rules. 

“Judges may not agree with the medical marijuana law. They may not support anybody using marijuana. But they must follow the law.” – Walczak, to the PA Post

Lycoming, Indiana, Jefferson, Forest, Elk, Potter, and Northampton counties are also accused of prohibiting medical cannabis patients who are on parole or probation but the ACLU has not filed any lawsuits against those counties.