Medical Cannabis for Pets Bill Passed by California Senate, Already Passed Assembly
California’s Assembly and Senate have both approved legislation that would explicitly allow and regulate the medical use of cannabis for pets.
Assembly Bill 2215 was given approval by the full Senate Tuesday in a 37 to 1 vote, roughly three months after the Assembly passed it 60 to 10. Although it has already passed the Assembly it will need to go back for one final vote to concur with Senate changes before it can be sent to Governor Jerry Brown for consideration.
Assembly Bill 2215 would expand “the intent of the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) to control and regulate cannabis and cannabis products for medicinal use on pets.” It would define “cannabis products” to include products intended for medicinal use on a pet, and although it wouldn’t allow a veterinarian to administer medical cannabis, it would “allow a veterinarian to discuss the use of cannabis on an animal for medicinal purposes without being disciplined or denied, revoked or suspended by the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB).”
The measure states that the VMB “would have until July 1, 2019 to promulgate guidelines for veterinarians to follow when discussing the use of cannabis”, and it “Provides that a cannabis product for use on a pet may only be sold to an adult 21 years or age or over by a licensee who has been issued a retailer license, as specified.”
The full text of Assembly Bill 2215 can be found by clicking here.
