Louisiana's Senate Health and Welfare Committee passed SB 270, sponsored by Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews (D), with amendments on Wednesday in a voice vote, advancing legislation that would require hospitals to permit terminally ill or irreversibly ill patients to use medical cannabis on-site.
"This bill was brought at the request of constituents who believe that therapeutic medical marijuana, which is already legal in this state, should be offered in hospitals when patients are terminally ill or otherwise in need the comfort of this medicine," Jackson-Andrews said ahead of the vote.
Under the bill, hospitals would need written guidelines permitting covered patients to consume medical cannabis in non-smoking, non-vaping forms. An amendment exempts emergency and outpatient departments. The revised measure specifies that patients and primary caregivers are responsible for obtaining and administering the cannabis, which must be "stored securely at all times in a locked container provided by the patient." Health care professionals and staff are prohibited from "administering, storing, retrieving, or assisting the patient with the medical marijuana."
Jackson-Andrews developed the amendment with help from the Louisiana Hospital Association. It also broadens the opt-out provision: rather than permitting only specifically targeted facilities to stop complying, all hospitals in the state may opt out if federal officials take enforcement action against any Louisiana healthcare facility over medical cannabis use.
Separately, the same committee last week approved a bill to create a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program funded by opioid settlement dollars, to conduct clinical trials on alternative treatments including psilocybin and ibogaine. Louisiana lawmakers are also considering a bill to establish a three-year adult-use marijuana legalization pilot program to determine whether the reform should be expanded and permanently codified.
