Susan Ousterman’s son, Tyler Cordeiro, died from a drug overdose in October 2020, weeks after he was wrongfully denied addiction treatment funding because of his medical marijuana card. Had the Wolf administration shared federal guidance on the issue, it would have made clear that Cordeiro was, in fact, eligible for assistance.

In February 2021, Ousterman reached out to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

with concerns. She followed up with state and county officials multiple times.

Months later, the secretary for the department, Jennifer Smith, emailed a top SAMHSA official

asking for help on the marijuana issue.

On May 26, the SAMHSA official shared the January 2020 clarification, this time on letterhead from the federal agency. On June 2, 17 months after first receiving the guidance, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs finally shared the clarification with Pennsylvania counties.

Susan Ousterman’s son, Tyler Cordeiro, died from a drug overdose in October 2020, weeks after he was wrongfully denied addiction treatment funding because of his medical marijuana card. Had the Wolf administration shared federal guidance on the issue, it would have made clear that Cordeiro was, in fact, eligible for assistance.

In February 2021, Ousterman reached out to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs with concerns. She followed up with state and county officials multiple times.

Months later, the secretary for the department, Jennifer Smith, emailed a top SAMHSA official

asking for help on the marijuana issue.

On May 26, the SAMHSA official shared the January 2020 clarification, this time on letterhead from the federal agency. On June 2, 17 months after first receiving the guidance, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs finally shared the clarification with Pennsylvania counties.