Two counties, one set of rules
Whether your Bethlehem address falls in Northampton County or Lehigh County, you deal with the same agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the same law, the Medical Marijuana Act of 2016. The fee is $50 once every 12 months, or $0 for people enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP, PACE/PACENET, SNAP or WIC. The certification must come from an MD or DO registered with the Department, in person or by real-time audio or video. Nothing in the process depends on your county beyond the current address on your Pennsylvania ID.
What the card protects
A registered patient is not subject to arrest, prosecution or licensing-board discipline solely for the lawful use of medical marijuana. In a child custody proceeding, a court may not consider the certification alone. And under the act's employment section, an employer may not fire, threaten, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate or retaliate against someone solely because that person is certified.
"Solely" appears in each of those protections, and it sets their boundary. The law shields your status as a patient. It does not shield conduct that would be a problem with or without a card.
What the card does not protect
Employers keep several powers. They need not accommodate use on workplace premises. They may discipline an employee who is under the influence at work when that person's conduct falls below the accepted standard of care. They may bar patients from duties at heights or in confined spaces, and from life-threatening or public-safety tasks, while under the influence. Nothing in the act requires an employer to violate federal law. Our page on medical marijuana and employment explains each point.
Outside work, the limits are just as clear. Smoking medical marijuana is illegal, home growing is not allowed and Pennsylvania has long applied zero-tolerance DUI rules to marijuana, so check current law before driving. The patient rules page covers possession and product limits.
Need a physician certification?
Online evaluations are available for Pennsylvania residents. Code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off. The physician, not the booking service, decides whether you are certified.
Book my PA evaluation →Keep your ID card with you whenever you carry medical marijuana, and keep the product in its original package. Both are legal requirements.
Buying from Bethlehem
For locations, use the Department's list of dispensaries with product (PDF), dated September 15, 2026. Because Bethlehem shares the Lehigh Valley with Allentown, search both cities' ZIP codes. Statewide there were 192 operating dispensaries as of March 1, 2026. You can buy up to a 90-day supply of individual doses at a time, with no sales tax.
More guides nearby
Our Allentown guide walks through the four application steps in order, and the Reading guide breaks down every fee. Your next step: if you are not yet certified, check that your condition is one of the 24 on the state list, then open your registry account.
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This page explains Pennsylvania law and Department of Health guidance in general terms; it is not medical or legal advice, and only a registered physician can certify a patient.