Governor Gavin Newsom, D, signed SB 311 over the summer. Called “Ryan’s Law,” this bill gives patients access to medical cannabis within hospitals. Additionally, hospitals won’t lose funding for giving patients medical cannabis as a treatment option if they request it. Senator Ben Hueso, D, wrote SB 311 after hearing the story of Ryan Bartell, the man the bill is named after. 

“Ryan’s Law would require that hospitals and certain types of healthcare facilities in the State of California allow a terminally-ill patient to use medical cannabis for treatment and/or pain relief,” the senator wrote in a letter to officials over the summer. “Currently, whether or not medical cannabis is permitted is left up to hospital policy, and this creates issues for patients and their families who seek alternative, more natural medication options in their final days.”

Now with “Ryan’s Law” beginning at the start of the new year, hospitals are preparing medical cannabis for those who request it. 

Americans for Safe Access

But hospitals aren’t on their own in preparing for medical cannabis administration. The Americans for Safe Access (ASA) organization is partnering with hospitals in California to help with preparations. They plan to give hospitals, doctors, and patients the information they need to understand what “Ryan’s Law” is and isn’t. 

It is our hope that these resources will help healthcare facilities implement this important law for patients,” ASA President Steph Sherer explained. “In our watchdog capacity, ASA will be monitoring to assure state-wide compliance.”

California hospitals can administer medical cannabis to patients who request it. However, there are some limitations. First, for those receiving emergency care, they won’t be covered. Additionally, smoking and vaping cannabis is prohibited. Finally, not all hospitals must provide or dispense cannabis. That will be left to the discretion of the hospital itself and if they are comfortable doing so. 

“Ryan’s Law” doesn’t pressure hospitals into being cannabis compliant. It makes it so those who wish for medical cannabis as treatment can receive it. This is something that ASA is aware of and is actively working with hospitals and doctors to better understand. This will help get the law off its feet and make a transition easier, explained the organization.

Future of “Ryan’s Law”

“Ryan’s Law” goes into effect on January 1, 2022. This is a huge win for the Bartell family, especially Jim Bartell, Ryan’s father. Ryan had Stage 4 cancer and spent most of his treatment on morphine or heavy pain killers that kept him in a comatose state. After bouncing between hospitals to try and get cannabis treatment, Ryan began to receive medical cannabis twice a day. 

“He would sleep through the night and wake up pain-free,” Bartell recalls. “He was talking, texting his friends, and asking them to visit him. During his last two and a half weeks, he met with dozens of visitors and he spent an hour every day talking to his son (John’s grandson) just the two of them.”

During his final months, Ryan was able to communicate and live his life as fully as he could with the help of medical cannabis. Bartell’s goal now is to legalize “Ryan’s Law” nationwide, helping others who would benefit from medical cannabis treatment. 

“I want to make it possible for people to die with some dignity and to be able to have a quality of life that allows them to communicate with their family and friends before they die,” Bartell said. He began communicating with the other 49 states recently and hopes to push “Ryan’s Law” on the national level.

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