Raised Bill No. 5295 Summary

• Eliminates registration fees for qualifying patients and primary caregivers under the medical marijuana program, effective October 1, 2020.

• Allows qualifying patients to purchase marijuana from multi-location dispensaries if the specific location has real-time integration with the electronic prescription drug monitoring program, providing greater flexibility than the single-dispensary requirement.

• Prohibits physicians from issuing cannabis certifications to patients under 18 years old in dosage forms requiring smoking, inhaling, or vaporizing; limits eligible conditions for minors to terminal illness, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, and severe epilepsy.

• Adds chronic pain of at least six months duration and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome associated with chronic pain to the list of debilitating medical conditions qualifying for palliative marijuana use.

• Prohibits licensed producers or their agents from offering gifts or rewards of any value to dispensaries or dispensary employees unless authorized by law.