MONTPELIER, VT — Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has signed legislation into law expanding the state’s medical cannabis program.
Provisions contained in Senate Bill 14 permit patients with glaucoma, chronic pain, and/or those in hospice care to be eligible for cannabis therapy; eliminate the requirement that patients must have previously tried other conventional treatments “without success” prior to being eligible for medical cannabis; and amend the existing doctor/patient relationship requirements in a manner that expedites certain patients’ eligibility to receive cannabis treatment.
Separate provisions in the bill also explicitly permit naturopaths as well as health care providers in certain neighboring states to recommend cannabis therapy to qualifying patients.
Stated Gov. Shumlin: “This bill is heading in a better direction for medical marijuana. There is no question about it.”
While provisions of the law expanding patients’ eligibility took effect upon signing, other aspects of the law do not take effect until July 1, 2016.
More information about the new law is available from Medical Jane.