Strict regulatory controls must be part of any Pennsylvania medical marijuana law to ensure that it does not compound the problem of recreational marijuana use, advocates for prosecutors and police told state lawmakers Wednesday.

Spokesmen for three law-enforcement groups registered their mutual concern in testimony at a fact-finding hearing before the House Health and Judiciary committees that focused on of the issues of law enforcement, drug treatment and regulatory services.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, speaking for the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, said legislators must ensure that the right people are prescribing, distributing and receiving any medical form of marijuana.

"Without a tightly regulated statute, designed to eliminate diversion (of marijuana), we could be looking at the legalization of marijuana," she said.

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

A Pennsylvania...