Rhode Island Senate Bill S0847

Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/25
• Refer: 3/19/25

Caption

Requires certain health care facilities to allow a terminally ill patient’s use of medicinal cannabis within the health care facility, subject to certain restrictions.

Impact

The bill requires healthcare facilities to accommodate the medicinal use of cannabis but imposes specific conditions to ensure safety and compliance. This includes requiring the patient to present valid identification and medical marijuana documentation, as well as restricting how and where the cannabis is stored. Notably, the act emphasizes that compliance with these provisions cannot impede a facility’s operational licensing, thereby protecting facilities that adhere to state regulations while using cannabis as a treatment option for patients.

Summary

S0847, known as the Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act, amends existing laws to support terminally ill patients in using medicinal cannabis within designated healthcare facilities. This legislation seeks to ensure that patients suffering from terminal illnesses can safely access and utilize medicinal cannabis as part of their treatment plan while adhering to the framework already established under the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act. The bill mandates that these healthcare facilities must allow such use, thereby integrating cannabis therapy into traditional medical environments.

Contention

While supporters advocate for the rights of terminally ill patients to receive quality care that includes medicinal cannabis, there is potential for contention concerning federal laws that classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug. The bill seeks to circumvent conflicts with federal standards by specifying that healthcare facilities cannot prohibit the use of cannabis solely based on its federal classification. This delicate balance aims to navigate the ongoing debate around medicinal cannabis use and healthcare regulations, addressing potential concerns of liability and compliance faced by these facilities.