New bill would allow California veterinarians to recommend cannabisApril 22, 2019A new bill introduced to the California legislation could repeal an original ban on veterinarians recommending cannabis to their clients. The bill, SB 627, would allow licensed veterinarians to discuss the use of and recommend medicinal cannabis or related products on an animal patient for any condition for which these products provide relief. The bill would also prohibit a veterinarian who makes a recommendation under these provisions from being punished, or denied any right or privilege, for recommending these products. Currently, The Veterinary Medicine Practice Act authorizes the board to revoke or suspend the license of a person to practice veterinary medicine, or to assess a fine, for discussing medicinal cannabis with a client while the veterinarian is employed by or has an agreement with a Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) licensee and is distributing advertising for cannabis in California. Further, the bill would permit pet owners to purchase medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis products on a veterinarian's recommendation.
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AVMA publishes cannabis resource for membersJanuary 12, 2018A new document available exclusively to American Veterinary Medical Association members provides comprehensive background information to help veterinary professionals understand the legal aspects of cannabis use in animals; field questions and advise clients who are interested in marijuana therapies for their pets; and identify toxic exposures. Cannabis: What Veterinarians Need to Know addresses such topics as the legal status of medicinal marijuana in veterinary medicine, how cannabinoids function, marijuana risks to pets, clinical signs and treatment of acute marijuana toxicosis, and effects of chronic marijuana exposure. Available on the Cannabis Use and Pets page of the AVMA's website, the document is the first in a series of related materials the association is developing as a resource for its members. Future tools will include information on medicinal marijuana in pets, and educational materials clinicians can share directly with clients.
UC Davis launches survey on the use of cannabis products for petsNovember 17, 2017The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a survey to learn more about the use of cannabis products on pets. "With the increasing use of medical cannabis and the start of recreational use [in California] in January, the interest in using it for pets has really grown," said Jamie Peyton, DVM, chief of small animal integrative medicine at UC Davis and the primary researcher behind the study. "The goal of the survey is to start the conversation about the use of hemp and cannabis products for pets." More pet owners are asking veterinarians about cannabis use for their companion animals, but vets currently are not allowed to prescribe or recommend cannabis products for pets, Dr. Peyton said. The anonymous online survey asks basic information about the pet and about its medical history, and includes questions about the type of marijuana products the pet owner administers, the reason for using the product, and how often it is administered. The final question asks if the respondent would involve their pet in a study of marijuana products for pets. The goal of the survey is to inform future research. "There's no published, peer-reviewed study on …
