PA Bill to Allow Medical Cannabis for Terminal Patients

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Compassion and care are at the heart of a new proposal in the Pennsylvania Senate aimed at helping terminal patients. The recently introduced Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act — also known as Ryan's Law — would allow terminal patients receiving treatment in hospitals to continue using prescribed medical cannabis, offering comfort and dignity during some of life's most difficult moments.

The bill, sponsored by Senator John Kane, is named in honor of a California man who used medical cannabis during the final weeks of his battle with pancreatic cancer. Pennsylvania legalized medical cannabis nearly a decade ago, but current laws restrict patients from using it in hospital settings. For terminal patients, that means losing access to a medication that may ease pain, nausea, and anxiety during critical care.

Under the proposed legislation, hospitals would be permitted to allow the supervised use of medical cannabis by eligible terminal patients. Advocates say this change is long overdue and rooted in compassion. Meredith Buettner Schneider, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, said the measure ensures patients are not forced to choose between receiving medical treatment and using a therapy that improves their quality of life.

"I think this bill ensures that patients have access to medical cannabis that helps treat their serious medical conditions in a hospital setting," Buettner Schneider said.

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