A Colorado bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in health facilities has been passed by the full legislature and sent to Governor Jared Polis, who is expected to sign it into law.
Senate Bill 7 would allow a health facility to let terminally ill patients who are registered in Colorado’s medical marijuana program use their medicine while admitted to or residing at the facility. The proposal applies to non-smokable forms of marijuana, such as edibles, tinctures, capsules and other non-combustible products, and would leave it up to facilities to decide whether to participate. That marks a change from earlier versions of the bill, which would have required facilities to allow such use.

If a facility chooses to allow medical marijuana use, it would be required to develop its own guidelines covering possession, storage, administration and related restrictions in order to protect other patients and maintain safe operations. The bill also says the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment could not make compliance a condition for a facility to obtain or renew a license or certification.

The legislation further says facilities would not have to comply if doing so would violate state law, jeopardize federal funding, create problems with Medicare or Medicaid, or conflict with accreditation or licensing rules. It would also allow a facility to suspend compliance if a federal agency takes action requiring it to do so. If enacted, the measure would take effect August 12, 2026.