Four medical marijuana dispensaries have been approved to open in Butler County by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

“This has been a highly competitive process and the department received hundreds of quality applications,” John Collins, director of the Office of Medical Marijuana, said in a news release Thursday. “Once this program is fully operational, patients with serious medical conditions will have locations throughout the commonwealth where they can purchase medication to help in their treatment. We remain on track to provide medication to patients in 2018.”

The department of health granted 27 dispensary permits across the state. Each permitted company can open up to three locations.

The four approved Butler County facilities include:

-- Cresco Yeltrah LLC's Butler County Dispensary Facility at 201 Pillow St., Butler

-- Keystone Relief Centers LLC's Keystone Relief Centers, Jackson's Pointe in Jackson Township

-- The Healing Center LLC's The Healing Center, 270 Executive Drive, Cranberry Township

-- Keystone Integrated Care LLC's facility at 21181 Route 19, Cranberry Township

The dispensaries now have six months to become operational.

A full report will appear in tomorrow's Butler Eagle.