SB 627 Summary

• Authorizes California licensed veterinarians to discuss and recommend medicinal cannabis or cannabis products for animal patients (excluding livestock and food animals) after the Veterinary Medical Board adopts guidelines by January 1, 2022.

• Requires veterinarians to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, provide appropriate examination, document the condition and animal/client names, and prohibits recommendations while employed by cannabis dispensers.

• Expands the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) to include cannabis for animal patients with valid veterinarian recommendations and allows adults 21+ to purchase cannabis for medicinal use on animals they own.

• Protects veterinarians from license discipline solely for recommending cannabis on animals (absent negligence/incompetence) and grants them the same protections as physicians under the Compassionate Use Act, while prohibiting cannabis recommendation advertising.

• Requires cannabis products for animal use to have cannabis as the primary active ingredient and mandates veterinarian recommendations remain confidential parts of animal patient records.