Governor Gavin Newsom today signed legislation by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) expanding end-of-life treatment options for Californians by requiring that hospitals and certain types of healthcare facilities in the state allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis for treatment and/or pain relief. “It is inconceivable to me that, in a state where medical cannabis was legalized more than 25 years ago, those in deepest suffering receiving treatment in our state’s healthcare facilities cannot access this proven, effective, and prescribed treatment,” said Sen. Hueso. “Instead, terminally-ill patients in California healthcare facilities are given heavy opiates that rob them of their precious last moments with family and friends. This is a simple, yet critical, move that will provide relief, compassion, and dignity to terminally-ill Californians.” SB 311, known as “Ryan’s Law,” requires healthcare facilities to reasonably restrict the manner in which a patient stores and uses medical cannabis to ensure the safety of other patients, guests, and employees of the healthcare facility. It does not apply to patients receiving emergency care, and smoking and vaping cannabis is expressly prohibited. The legislation does not require the health facility to provide medicinal cannabis, nor does it require the facility to dispense the cannabis from the pharmacy.
Sean Hocking, Cannabis Law Report, 09/28/2021 22:25:00