Pennsylvania’s nurse practitioners could operate practices without collaborating with a physician if the state House approves a bill by the end of next year.

Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. opened its Harrisburg dispensary on Tuesday. It’s the Phoenix-based cannabis company’s fifth in Pennsylvania.

One of the first of three medical marijuana research organizations approved by the state broke ground Wednesday on a 65,000-square-foot facility in Penn Township, Perry County where cannabis will be grown, processed, manufactured and researched.

More than 100,000 Pennsylvania residents have been certified to take medical marijuana in Pennsylvania since February of last year and operators of dispensaries are praising the roll-out of the state's program.