The medical program has taken advantage of those who need access to this medicine and cannot afford it, or even find what they need. People suffer needlessly so that the state may profit. Why is the program trying to make money off of those that are already disabled due to health issues, or crippled due to injuries sustained in combat defending this country? I have spoken to many vets, and other disabled people who do not have proper access to their medicine. The costs are prohibitive to trying strains randomly to find what works. Many people dealing with ptsd and other disorders that may mean only one or two strains work without causing severe side effects. I had one and now it has been discontinued. Over the last 2 years I have ran up massive credit card debt I am paying down, just trying different strains to find one that did not make my issues worse. I am allergic to all pharmaceutical medications, and would never go back on opiates again if I had the choice. Why would I want all those side effects and dependency? With what I could afford in pain relief I could hardly walk for more than 2 hours a day, and I am too young for that. I cannot keep food down for intense and ongoing nausea, and will most likely soon be on a feeding tube. Most likely by Christmas. When I was in the emergency room before the medical program my my pain level was off the charts. I had no relief. Even with relief I still have pain. But without access to my medicine, the suffering is destroying what is left of me. I cannot get any exercise without it and will most likely die if I get covid, because of lack of exercise. When I did find the strain I needed I would many times have to travel, an extremely painful thing for me to do, for as much as 6 hours at a time to purchase it. Because of availability. I have talked to many people who have had similar experiences with this program. If the program is all about getting what you get by chance at a dispensary then there is no understanding that this is a medicine, with very specific effects depending on strain. This program treats it like is just a drug and these are drug dealers. With little to no consideration for the individual and their needs. If access and cost of the medicine are so prohibitive as to make it nearly useless to those who are disabled, then why even call it a medical program? Is there any sympathy or compassion? Does this state care at all about those that suffer? This program was implemented incorrectly from the start. We need true reform, based on necessity. Time for people to come forward and speak up for those that suffer. Allow veterans and disabled to grow their own. I spent 6 years without pain meds of any kind, even though my pain was incredible. Waiting for this program that has failed me. My pain and health issues have only gotten worse and I need access even more now, than ever. There is no legitimate reason why those that are disabled cannot grow their own medicine. Every other state with a medical program has allowed this. Time to either get the sympathy from those making the laws, or shame them into doing so. We cannot wait any longer. Some of the vets I have spoked too said they had been suicidal in the past. From lack of medicine. From ongoing suffering. From lack of relief from it. Been some time since I heard from some of them. We wonder why the suicide rate is so high among war vets and those in chronic pain. We wonder why opiate addiction is so high in Pa. What other choices do they have?