[naviga:h3]Medical marijuana decision defended [/naviga:h3]

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania health officials are standing by their decision to award a medical marijuana grower’s permit to a company whose affiliate had two ex-executives charged with smuggling a half-million dollars’ worth of the drug across state lines.

Pennsylvania Medical Solutions of Scranton was one of only 12 companies awarded permits last week to grow and process medical marijuana in the state.

Records show it is run by Vireo Health. In February, Minnesota officials charged two ex-employees of Vireo with illegally transporting medical cannabis oil while they worked for the company.

A spokesman for the health department said the charges were filed against individuals who no longer work for the company, not the company itself.

[naviga:h3]Penalty for lying about service hiked[/naviga:h3]

HARRISBURG — New penalties for people who misrepresent themselves as military veterans in order to get financial benefits are going into effect in Pennsylvania.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday signed into law a bill that punishes those who falsely claim to have served in the military or received military decorations in order to obtain money, property or other rewards.

The bill takes effect in two months.

[naviga:h3]Health secretary leaving position[/naviga:h3]

DANVILLE — Gov. Tom Wolf’s health secretary is taking a new administrative job with central Pennsylvania health giant Geisinger.

The Danville-based company, which has some 30,000 employees, said Tuesday that Karen Murphy will start in September as executive vice president, chief innovation officer and founding director of an innovation institute.

She’s previously been director of an initiative at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and president of Moses Taylor Health Care System in Scranton. Her last day with the state is Friday.