Cannabis capsules.
Legislation filed today in Connecticut would require certain health care facilities and nursing homes to allow terminally ill medical marijuana patients to use their medicine while receiving care.
House Bill 5242, introduced as a raised bill by the Joint Committee on Public Health, would mandate that hospitals, nursing homes, hospice inpatient facilities and short-term hospital special hospices permit qualifying patients to use marijuana on-site, with specific restrictions.
The bill applies to registered medical marijuana patients who have been certified by their attending physician as terminally ill, defined as having a prognosis of one year or less if the disease follows its natural course.
Under the proposal, facilities would be required to allow marijuana use including tinctures, edibles, and topicals, but smoking and vaping would be prohibited. Facilities could impose reasonable restrictions on storage and use, including requiring marijuana to be kept in a locked container to protect other patients, guests and staff.
Health care providers would also need to document marijuana use in a patient’s medical record and require proof of valid registration in the state’s medical marijuana program. In addition, facilities would be required to develop and distribute written guidelines governing how marijuana may be used within the facility.
The bill also includes a federal safeguard. If a federal agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were to initiate enforcement action or formally prohibit marijuana use in such facilities, compliance could be suspended until further notice. However, facilities could not refuse to comply solely because marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under federal law.
If approved by lawmakers and signed into law, the proposal would take effect October 1, 2026.
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