VA SB332

Expands legal protections for hospital employees who store, dispense, or administer cannabis oil to patients with valid medical cannabis certifications, adding hospitals to existing protections for nursing homes, hospices, and assisted living facilities

Amends Virginia Code § 18.2-251.1:2 and § 32.1-127 to ensure hospital staff authorized to handle medications cannot be prosecuted under drug possession or distribution laws when administering medical cannabis to certified patients

Requires the Department of Health to convene a work group including representatives from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, Virginia Health Care Association, health care providers, and palliative/hospice volunteers

Work group must assess federal guidance on cannabis products, including potential scheduling changes under the federal Controlled Substances Act, and develop written guidelines for medical cannabis use in medical care facilities

Report with implementation guidelines and safe operations protocols due to the House Committee on Health and Human Services and Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026