Cannabis News
Connecticut Lawmakers Take Up Bill To Allow Medical Marijuana Access In Hospitals
Connecticut lawmakers are among the latest to pass US legislation to allow certain qualified patients to use medical marijuana in health care facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.
Members of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health gathered to discuss the cannabis bill at a hearing Monday, taking testimony from state agencies, medical organizations and others as they consider implementing a policy known as “Ryan’s Law,” named after a California medical cannabis patient who died.
Under the proposal, terminally ill patients would be able to access cannabis products that cannot be smoked or vaporized in health care facilities, such as hospitals. That would not extend to patients receiving emergency care, however.
The bill, HB 5242, also specifies that healthcare facilities can suspend their medical cannabis allowance if a federal agency such as the Department of Justice or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiates an enforcement action or issues guidance prohibiting access to medical marijuana on their premises.
Erin Gorman Kirk, Connecticut’s Cannabis Ombudsman, told the joint committee that the current policy means that “a registered patient with a terminal prognosis may be forced to discontinue a legally permitted regimen the moment they enter a hospital or nursing home.”
“Patients who cannot or cannot tolerate opioids, or who have found the only effective relief for pain, nausea or anxiety in medical cannabis, are left with no choice because of where they receive their care,” he said. “HB 5242 addresses this by requiring covered facilities to permit the use of smokable forms of cannabis, including tinctures, edibles, and topicals, for those with a terminal prognosis of one year or less.”
“HB 5242 is important, impactful, and morally necessary. It’s a common-sense, ethical bill that protects vulnerable patients who don’t want opioids, can’t tolerate them, or have simply found relief and clarity in cannabis to allow them to die with dignity. Medical cannabis is backed by clinical evidence, supported by nurses and policy analysts who work with patients who are entitled to work today. Connecticut across the country would not be should be a statue that tells a dying patient: your medicine is legal, your doctor approved it, but you can’t have it here.
The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), meanwhile, opposed the proposal, telling lawmakers invoice “He misunderstands many aspects of the laws and regulations governing hospitals.”
“HB 5242 requires Connecticut hospitals to break the law, a law that the (Department of Public Health or DPH) itself (the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services or CMS) would have to enforce as part of its oversight system and that the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) would have to enforce as part of its role in overseeing controlled substance laws,” he said.
The Connecticut Association of Healthcare Facilities and the Connecticut Center for Assisted Living (CAHCF/CCAL) also submitted testimony against the reform, saying that “compliance would put providers in an extremely difficult and untenable position trying to navigate conflicting federal and state laws.”
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It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.
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Legislators in several states are moving forward similar bills to give patients access to medical marijuana in healthcare facilitiesUS lawmakers say the policy change this week is necessary to ensure patients have access to a full range of treatment options.
Last week alone, Ryan’s bills saw action in at least four states: Colorado, Hawaii, Virginia and Washington state.
user photo Philip Steffan.
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With the April 2025 tax return filing deadline fast approaching, cannabis companies must once again face the burden of Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 280E”). Despite significant developments over the past year — including a major executive order from President Trump and the IRS, for the first time, disclosing legal reasoning funds to keep state cannabis “within the meaning” of Section 280E — taxpayer scrutiny remains the same.
However, whether substantively or psychologically, these recent developments weigh on how taxpayers should deal with Section 280E. Below, we summarize the key developments that cannabis taxpayers should be aware of as they prepare their 2025 returns.
As discussed in previous publications, Section 280E provides: “(e) no deduction or credit shall be allowed for any amount paid or incurred in the course of any trade or business during the taxable year, if such trade or business (or the activities constituting such trade or business) is trafficking in controlled substances (controlled substance classes I and II prohibited by State or Federal law).
Because cannabis is now listed as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the IRS has consistently maintained that Section 280E applies to state-licensed cannabis businesses, significantly increasing their effective tax rates.
Read more at JD above
Cannabis News
Louisiana Senators Approve Bill To Allow Medical Marijuana Use In Hospitals For Terminally Ill Patients
A Louisiana Senate panel has advanced a bill to allow patients with terminal and irreversible conditions to use medical marijuana in hospitals.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the legislation, SB 270 (D) by Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews, with amendments, on a voice vote Wednesday.
“This bill was introduced at the request of voters who believe that therapeutic medical marijuana, which is already legal in this state, should be offered in hospitals when the terminally ill or otherwise need the comfort of this medicine,” Jackson-Andrews said before the vote.
Under the proposal, hospitals would have to create written policies to allow covered patients to consume medical cannabis in forms other than smoking or vaporizing it.
Under an amendment approved by the panel, emergency or outpatient departments would be exempt from the policy. The revised legislation also clarifies that patients and primary caregivers are responsible for obtaining and administering medical marijuana, which “must be securely stored at all times in a sealed container provided by the patient.”
Health care professionals and staff would be prohibited from “administering, storing, retrieving, or assisting a patient with medical marijuana.” the text he says
The amendment, which the proponent worked out with the help of the Louisiana Hospital Association, also allows hospitals to opt out of the policy if federal officials take action against any health care facility in the state regarding the use of medical cannabis, instead of allowing those specifically targeted to stop serving.
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It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
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Meanwhile, in Louisiana, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee passed a bill last week create a pilot psychedelic-assisted therapy program using opioid settlement dollars to fund clinical trials to develop alternative treatments such as psilocybin and ibogaine.
Lawmakers are also considering a bill creating a pilot program to legalize marijuana for adults in the state, in the end, to determine whether the reform should be expanded and permanently codified.
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Cresco Labs has obtained a Texas Compassionate Use Program License. It is a vertically integrated license that allows Cresco Labs to cultivate, process and distribute medical cannabis.
“Texas patients deserve access to consistent, quality medicine, and we’re excited. Our track record in medical markets reflects our ability to build strong programs that put patients and communities first,” said Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs. “Winning a license in Texas through a merit-based application demonstrates Cresco Labs’ deep regulatory expertise and thoughtful approach to meaningful local engagement. Organic licenses enable capital-efficient market entry, and our cash flow and balance sheet give us the financial flexibility to invest in and grow our scaled platform for the long term.”
This license advances Cresco Labs’ state-by-state growth strategy and ensures access to one of the largest patient populations in the United States. Texas is the nation’s second most populous state, approaching 30 million people, and continues to see ongoing legislative efforts to improve patient access and expand eligibility.
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