Guide
Medical cannabis products, explained.
Dry leaf, vapes, concentrates, capsules, tinctures and topicals. How each is sold in Pennsylvania and how it counts toward your supply.
Updated October 2026
Pick a product type
Tap a type to see how it is sold, what to look for and how it counts toward your supply.
Dry leaf
The dried flower of the cannabis plant. In Pennsylvania it is sold for vaporizing, not smoking.
- Sold as
- Usually 3.5 g jars, plus larger sizes
- Used with
- A dry herb vaporizer
- Look for
- Harvest or pack date, THC percentage and terpenes
- Counts as
- 3.5 g is one unit
Vapes
Cartridges or devices that heat cannabis oil into vapor.
- Sold as
- Cartridges, all-in-one devices, pods
- Hardware
- Most carts use a 510 thread battery
- Oil types
- Distillate, live resin, rosin
- Tax
- Batteries and devices are taxed, the oil is not
Concentrates
Extracts with far more THC per gram than dry leaf, used for vaporizing.
- Types
- Rosin, live resin, badder, sugar, diamonds
- Solventless
- Rosin uses heat and pressure, no solvents
- Used with
- A dab rig or e-rig for vaporizing
- Counts as
- 1 g is one unit
Capsules and pills
Measured doses you swallow.
- Sold as
- Bottles of capsules or tablets
- Look for
- THC and CBD per capsule
- Counts as
- 100 mg of THC is one unit
- Good to know
- Follow your practitioner's advice
Tinctures and liquids
Cannabis extract in a liquid, dosed with a dropper or measured.
- Sold as
- Small dropper bottles
- Dosing
- Measured by the dropper or by marks on it
- Look for
- THC and CBD per milliliter
- Food
- Patients can mix it into food at home
Topicals
Lotions, balms and oils applied to the skin.
- Sold as
- Balms, lotions, gels
- Look for
- Cannabinoid content and ingredients
- Good to know
- Read the label for directions
- Health questions
- Ask your practitioner
What you will not find
Pre-rolls and edibles are not sold at Pennsylvania dispensaries. Smoking medical marijuana is not allowed, and the law bars dispensaries from selling it in edible form.
Plant type labels
You will see indica, sativa and hybrid on most menus. Staff use them as shorthand, but effects vary by person and product. THC content and terpenes, the aroma compounds, tell you more than the label alone.
Products FAQ
Can I buy pre-rolls in Pennsylvania?
No. Smoking medical marijuana is not allowed, so dispensaries sell dry leaf for vaporizing instead.
Are edibles sold in Pennsylvania?
No. Dispensaries cannot sell edibles. Patients and caregivers can mix medical marijuana into food at home to help the patient take it.
What does solventless mean?
Made without chemical solvents. Rosin uses heat and pressure to separate the resin.
Are indica and sativa labels reliable?
They are common shorthand at the counter, but effects vary by person and product. Ask about terpenes and THC content too.
Keep going
Related guides
Dispensary glossary
Every word you will hear at the counter, from caregiver to vaporization.
Units and supply limits
How Pennsylvania counts your medicine and how the 90 day supply works.
Pennsylvania cannabis laws
Smoking, edibles, driving, the 90 day supply and Philadelphia's own rules. Plus a 12 question quiz.