PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The latest hearing on the subject suggests supporters of legislation that would legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania have their work cut out in the State House.

Indications are that support for medical marijuana is strong in the state Senate, but members of the House seem less enthusiastic.

After a lengthy hearing Wednesday during which members of law enforcement stressed the need for strict regulatory control if it is legalized, Republican Matt Baker – chairman of the House Health Committee – said he’s still not sold on medical marijuana:

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.

A new poll released this week by Qunnipiac University shows strong support among Pennsylvania voters for marijuana reform. The data also highlights a huge disconnect between state politicians and the people they represent.

According to the poll an astounding 88 percent of Pa. voters favor medical marijuana. 

A majority, 51 percent, support full legalization for adults.

Recent legislation in the state Senate that would legalize medical marijuana has sparked conversation across Pennsylvania.

The Senate Bill 3, a medical marijuana bill, has been introduced after its equivalent counterpart, State Bill 1182 — which was overwhelmingly supported in the Senate — died in the state House of Representatives at the end of last term.

And, former Gov. Tom Corbett had said he did not support State Bill 1182. But Gov. Tom Wolf has already pledged to sign the reintroduced bill after meeting with mothers whose children suffer from severe seizures, according to an Associated Press report.

A highly potent marijuana product called “shatter” was recently seized in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, as part of a drug bust on the home of 23-year-old Samual Schlenbaker, Lancaster Online reported Thursday. Shatter marijuana, considered the purest and most powerful weed product, often contains levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, six times stronger than the average pot.

A joint public hearing on the legalization of the medical use of cannabis in Pennsylvania was held Tuesday at Pennsylvania Hospital, one of Penn Medicine’s medical facilities. 

The first of three hearings related to the use of medical marijuana, the session focused on the potential medical implications of legalizing medical marijuana, as well as the science behind the use of marijuana in treating various maladies. 

Chairman of the House Health Committee Matt Baker and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Ron Marsico spearheaded the meeting, with Baker presiding over the discussion. 

Local business stakeholders say legalizing marijuana could further impact a workplace already marred by an inability to find workers who can pass a drug test.

As several issues promoting marijuana legalization in Ohio move forward in an effort to be placed on November’s ballot, a major concern is how employers would deal with workforce safety and drug testing.

“We don’t really support legalizing marijuana as an employer,” said Robert Toews, chief financial officer for Kaivac Inc., adding that having workers able to smoke cannabis, even off the job, could create confusion in the workplace.

A Penn State law student and Youtube Pokemon master was arrested and charged with eight felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver following multiple controlled marijuana buys facilitated by the State College Police Department, resulting in the student’s ban from the Lewis Katz Law Building.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives will hold a joint satellite hearing of the Health and Judiciary Committees on medical marijuana. The hearing will take place on March 24, 2015 at 10:00AM at the University of PA Health System in the Perelman School of Medicine Zumbrow Auditorium, 800 S. Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA.

Legislation to enact a medical marijuana program in Pennsylvania has been active since 2009 when Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia) first introduced a bill.