Medical marijuana; written certification by physician for treatment. (HB974)

Introduced By

Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D-Dale City)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Medical marijuana; written certification. Allows a person to possess marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a physician for the treatment of any medical condition deemed terminal or debilitating by a licensed health care professional, pain management, cancer, glaucoma, intractable epilepsy, human immunodeficiency virus, osteoporosis, or arthritis. The bill allows a physician or pharmacist to distribute such substances without being subject to prosecution. Under current law, a person has an affirmative defense to prosecution for possession of marijuana if the marijuana is in the form of cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil and the person has been issued a written certification by a physician that such marijuana is for the purposes of treating or alleviating the person's symptoms of intractable epilepsy. The bill expands the authority for a pharmaceutical processor, after obtaining a permit from the Board of Pharmacy and under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, to manufacture and provide marijuana in any form to be used for the treatment of any medical condition deemed terminal or debilitating by a licensed health care professional, pain management, cancer, glaucoma, intractable epilepsy, human immunodeficiency virus, osteoporosis, or arthritis, not just marijuana in the form of cannabidiol oil and THC-A oil to be used for the treatment of intractable epilepsy. Finally, the bill clarifies that the penalties for forging or altering a written certification for medical marijuana or for making or uttering a false or forged written certification are the same as the penalties for committing the same acts with regard to prescriptions. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/09/2018Committee
01/09/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18103676D
01/09/2018Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/11/2018Impact statement from VCSC (HB974)
02/06/2018Impact statement from VDH (HB974)
02/15/2018Left in Courts of Justice