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Medical marijuana bill heads for Pennsylvania Senate vote

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A newly expanded medical marijuana bill is expected to pass the Pennsylvania Senate, although its prospects remain unclear in the House.

The medical marijuana bill was scheduled for a Senate vote Tuesday. The Senate passed a similar bill last year, 43-to-7, but it passed late in the legislative session and died in the House.

On Monday, the Senate amended the bill to add Crohn's disease, diabetes and chronic or intractable pain to the bill's list of treatable illnesses. The bill also was amended to allow the use of vaporization, if a physician decides that it's useful to treat cancer, seizures or post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bill would let doctors prescribe medical marijuana through extracted oils, ointments, tinctures and nebulizers. Smoking it wouldn't be allowed.

Gov. Tom Wolf supports it.