Can I get some weed for my dog?

A bill that would allow veterinarians to recommend medical marijuana for animals is on its way to the California governor’s desk after final votes in the assembly. The AB 1885 bill, proposed by Member of Parliament Ash Kalra, protects pet veterinarians who prescribe marijuana for potential medicinal or health supplement purposes from penalties by the state Veterinary Medicines Administration.

The bill, approved by the California Senate on Monday, also mandates the state’s Veterinary Medical Board to set rules that veterinarians must follow when prescribing marijuana products. Although the experiences of several veterinarians and circumstantial reports from pet owners favor a wide range of medical benefits of marijuana for animal use, several pet owners are concerned about the lack of an explicit permit under current law.

According to a fact sheet on the law, many pet owners are now engaged in activities without clear advice or direction from their veterinarians. According to Jen Seo, director of marketing and partnerships at Nabis LLC, a California-based marijuana distributor, the move will allow more companies to navigate the petcare industry.

It’s clearly another market to explore, Seo said in an interview with MarketWatch. There wasn’t much medical research, but first-hand experience was beneficial [for pets]. It’s understandable why people are concerned about the apparent lack of evidence, but when competent veterinarians and doctors advocate and support it, it further confirms the use of cannabis in pets.

The passage of AB 1885 follows the passage of AB 2215 in 2018, which allowed veterinarians to discuss the use of marijuana on animals, but the older bill was less clear about avoiding potential penalties for suggesting marijuana.

The Pet Cannabis Coalition, a recently formed advocacy group, has endorsed the AB 1885 legislation. Tim Shu, the group’s president, is also the CEO and founder of VetCBD Inc., a marijuana therapy organization. According to Shu, prior to the introduction of AB 1885, several professional veterinarians chose to take a safer route and not talk about using cannabis on pets at all.

IS CANNABIS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR PETS’ HEALTH?

Among others, researchers from Cornell University discovered in 2018 that a CBD-based drug was effective and safe for pain relief in dogs with arthritis and geriatric humans. According to the study, “2 mg/kg of CBD twice daily may help increase activity and well-being in dogs with osteoarthritis.”

As stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), “nearly eight million California households own pets.” Additionally, according to an AVMA survey, the states with the most pet owners and the most pets are those with the most households, namely California, Florida and Texas.

Additionally, the American Pet Products Association projects that individuals in the United States will spend approximately $124 billion on their pets in 2021, up from $104 billion in 2020.

OTHER CANNABIS-RELATED INVOICES PENDING APPROVAL

The employment measures bill, authored by Assemblyman Bill Quirk, is one of the many marijuana bills that have passed Congress in recent weeks. The Worker Protection Act, in particular, is one that proponents believe has been a long time coming in a state that has long legalized recreational and medical marijuana.

After the bill first passed through assembly in May, it went through numerous Senate committees and shot a few amendments before being sent back to the original chamber for approval. AB 2811 was confirmed positive Tuesday at 41-15.

This latest version of the legislation has passed Congress and is now awaiting action from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) once it is officially submitted in the coming days. Earlier versions of the legislation had previously stalled in the Assembly’s Employment and Labor Committee.

According to Quirk’s proposal, a business owner would be prohibited from treating an individual unfairly while making employment decisions, exiting their job, or imposing other conditions on them. With some exclusions for certain occupations, like government employees or construction workers, it would eliminate employment-based THC testing.

The main reason for the change is the fact that the majority of urine-based drug tests used by employers only look for dormant THC metabolites, which can sometimes remain in a person’s system for several days or weeks after cannabis use.

People who use cannabis off-duty, as permitted by state law, face unjustified discrimination, proponents of the current approach say. The proposal would still allow employers to maintain a drug-free environment and discipline employees if they show up to work intoxicated.

A few other states have introduced marijuana-related workplace rights primarily for medical cannabis patients, but California does not extend these rights to medical cannabis users, but also to consumers acting under the state’s laws. However, the state’s Department of Labor has also issued new rules prohibiting companies from performing cannabis drug testing on the majority of their employees after New York legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) also passed legislation last month barring most employers from firing or otherwise punishing employees for marijuana use. Back in California, Kalras AB in 1885, if passed, would prevent authorities from penalizing veterinarians who recommend the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes on animals and update state statutes to define marijuana products recommended for the intended for consumption by animals. The Veterinary Medical Council would also need to issue regulations for medical marijuana recommendations.

FINAL EFFECT

Studies are still ongoing to know the full potential or capabilities of medicinal cannabis for the benefit of humans, and now animals have entered the equation. Some research is done on the animal front, like that at Cornell University. These studies, along with the personal experiences and suggestions of professional veterinarians, fueled the new bill that would allow veterinarians to prescribe cannabis to animals.

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