Aston Township approves medical marijuana grow house

ASTON TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- The Aston Township Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a medical marijuana grow house Thursday night in the township's industrial park.

Jennifer McKee tells us she couldn't help but think about the man who inspired her to start this journey.

"My dad had prostate cancer. This was in the beginning something that we both really just felt so passionately about," said McKee.

Gov. Tom Wolf (D-Pa.) signed the medical marijuana bill into law last April. The state is currently accepting applications for growing and processing facilities like Medgarden.

But the proposed site didn't come without some concern from residents at Thursday's meeting.

"We spend all our time with our kids for 35 years making sure that they're not exposed to this, so now we're going to have it right down the street from us," said Jerry DuPuis of Aston.

"That just creates more people traveling down my street, wanting to see where this is at," said Phillip Ewaka of Aston.

While McKee's father survived his battle with cancer, she wants others to have the help he didn't.

"Everything from pain, to PTSD, to seizures, to the wasting diseases. Any relief we can provide to those who really are the sickest people in Pennsylvania I think is a good thing for all of us," said McKee.

The facility will have round-the-clock security surveillance and motion detectors.

McKee has about three weeks to submit her permit application to the state. They have 90 days to review.

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