Pet Medical Cannabis Bill introduced in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island legislature introduced legislation allowing pets to use medicinal cannabis if and when certified by a licensed veterinarian. House Bill 5504, or the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, was introduced at the Rhode Island House on February 10 and then referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee.

NBC 10 News in Rhode Island reports that this is the second time the law has been introduced. The Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association (RIVMA) did not endorse the law in 2021, and most vets say cannabis has not been proven safe. Reps Patricia Serpa and Charlene Lima are sponsoring the bill along with Reps Julie Casimiro and Deborah Fellela.

“We need to get that dialogue going to see if it’s beneficial,” Lima said. “Possibly not, studies have shown that THC can be very deadly to animals.” Given factors like smaller bodies and the fact that pets break down THC in different ways, this is rarely a good idea.

Lawmakers acknowledged that much more research is needed to better understand how cannabis affects pets. “You know how fast science changes,” she said. “There are a lot more studies now than there were last year when it was first introduced.”

But some vets believe the bill would unleash a Pandora’s box as there is no solid evidence that cannabis is safe for pets.

“If it gets passed, it’s going to be a really big problem for pets in Rhode Island,” said Dr. Shelly Pancoast, emergency veterinarian and President of the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association.

Pancoast reminded the media that THC is considered toxic to pets when ingested and has distinctly different effects.

“They get pretty severe neurological signs and can look like they’re dead or in a coma at times,” Pancoast explained.

dr Ralph Pratt, board member of RIVMA, compared cannabis to paracetamol (in 2021), which is perfectly safe for humans but dangerous for pets.

For years people have been treating their pets with medicinal cannabis products – mainly CBD – with anecdotal reports of success for treating everything from seizures to stress. Science begins to grow.

CBD but no THC for pets in most cases

The general consensus seems to be that pet owners should never give THC to their pets, with potentially bad consequences, but that CBD is probably less harmful.

Legalizing medicinal cannabis for pets is a relatively new concept. Only a few states offer protection.

Only California currently gives veterinarians a “Get Out of Jail Free” pass, specifically allowing them to discuss medical cannabis without fear of repercussions. Assembly Bill 2215, passed and signed into law in late 2018, paved the way for Senate Bill 627 by allowing veterinarians to discuss medicinal cannabis treatments with pet owners. It prevents the State Veterinary Medicines Agency from taking special enforcement action against veterinarians who recommend cannabis products like CBD oil.

What constitutes cruelty in relation to pets and cannabis? Most organizations, like the Anti-Cruelty Society, seem to give CBD a pass, but note that THC breaks down in animals in a very different way and can be dangerous. “CBD found in cannabis pet supplements is typically derived from hemp, a strain of cannabis that naturally contains extremely low levels of THC, the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana. As a result, CBD is not psychoactive and appears to be safe for pets,” the organization wrote.

Other states are likely to follow the path of California and Rhode Island with vet protections.