HARRISBURG, Pa. – Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor today released a performance audit of the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the state’s Medical Marijuana Program and its monitoring processes for grower/processors and dispensaries. The audit found that DOH lacked proper internal controls to ensure inspections and enforcement actions were performed consistently and had inadequate approval processes for complaint conclusions and plans of corrections.
“Our audit evaluated how DOH conducted inspections, responded to complaints and took enforcement action regarding grower/processors and dispensaries – the first time anyone has done so since the program was implemented in 2016,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “We found a lack of internal controls and inadequate approval processes which can ultimately reduce the effectiveness of DOH’s oversight of the program. Inconsistent procedures may allow issues to go uncorrected and lead to unsafe conditions within facilities or products. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on the program to be safe, secure and trustworthy, so it’s up to these regulators to ensure proper procedures are in place.”
“To their credit, DOH agreed with our findings and they are already working to implement some of our recommendations,” Auditor General DeFoor continued. “I’d like to sincerely thank the department for their cooperation throughout this audit process. We’re grateful that they have already taken steps to ensure the program continues to serve those who need it most. That’s exactly how our audits are supposed to function – we audit and evaluate, and the organization being audited then implements our recommendations and Pennsylvanians benefit.”
The audit covered the period from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. The audit had two findings and 9 recommendations:
- Finding 1: The Department of Health lacked adequate controls to ensure inspections, enforcement actions and related procedures were performed consistently; and
- Finding 2: Inadequate approval processes for complaint conclusions and plans of corrections reduced the effectiveness of the Department of Health’s oversight
Some of the recommendations for DOH include implementing and consistently using a standardized inspection checklist, finalizing and approving standard operating procedures for inspection checklists and complaints, and implementing formal documentation processes.
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Media contact: Gabrielle Ernst, 717-787-1381 or news@paauditor.gov
***NOTE: Sound bites from Auditor General DeFoor are available on PAcast***