By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
In the midst of the growing number of legal marijuana states, a small portion of them are starting to allow veterinarians to recommend medical cannabis for pet owners.
On September 27, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB2215, a bill to expand the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act to include veterinarians and pets in its medical marijuana regulations.
Assemblymember Ash Kalra [D] introduced the measure into the legislature in early February, and it passed through with little opposition, ending with a final 64 to 5 vote in the Assembly on August 30.
The measure amends Section 4883 of the Business and Professions Code and adds Section 4884, prohibiting the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) from disciplining or denying, revoking, or suspending a veterinarian’s license for discussing medical cannabis use with a pet owner.
The rules prohibit a vet from dispensing or administering medicinal cannabis products and permit the VMB to impose penalties which can include fines or licenses being revoked or suspended.
Now that AB2215 has become law, the VMB has until January 1, 2020, to adopt guidelines and post them to their website.
