BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM
The California state Senate approved bill AB 2215 that protects licensed veterinary practitioners from disciplinary action for discussing the therapeutic use of marijuana in animals. Jerry Brown, the Governor of California signed AB 2215 this past September. One of the big concerns leading up to this bill, is the fact that dispensaries are selling products marketed toward animals, but no one in the veterinary community has been allowed to give advice on their use. The bill does not give veterinarians the ability to dispense or administer cannabis or its products to patients.
Federal government outlaws marijuana and no state laws address the use of cannabis in veterinary settings. Therefore, there is no precedent for veterinarians to advocate the use or prescribe cannabis in the use of veterinary patients. This lack of clarity potentially makes veterinarians subject of DEA prosecution for even discussing the use of cannabis in a patient.
The California bill requires the state veterinary board to develop guideline for practitioners when discussing cannabis with their clients. This legislation will protect veterinarians from disciplinary actions for discussing cannabis with clients, but prohibits conflicts of interest with cannabis licensees. Previously the California Veterinary Medical Board position was that veterinarians were in violation if the incorporated cannabis in to practice, including the recommendation or approval of marijuana for treatment of animals.
While there are no protections in place for veterinarians elsewhere, there are also no direct prohibitions against discussing cannabis with clients. The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, for example, has a position statement that argues that veterinarians are obligated to provide complete education on the risks and benefits of marijuana products as used for animal health.
Although it is slow going, other states are considering legislation regarding the use of marijuana in the veterinary medical field. In March, bill A10104 was introduced in the New York Assembly to authorize veterinarians to prescribe medical marijuana to patients. As yet this bill has no senate sponsor. Nevada is also considering legislation pertaining to veterinary use of cannabis products.
While there are no laws permitting the use or providing regulation of the sale or manufacture of cannabis products in pets, there is ongoing research on use and efficacy of these products in pets. In July, The Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research published research on the pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol in dogs. Another paper published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science describes a clinical trial at Cornell University where researchers found that cannabidiol can help dogs with osteoarthritis. This paper can be accessed at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165/full.
