SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2018 SESSION

  • | print version

HB 974 Medical marijuana; written certification by physician for treatment.

Introduced by: Elizabeth R. Guzman | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

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.


FULL TEXT

HISTORY