“Ryan’s Law” would lift state prohibition on use of medical cannabis in hospice, acute care, skilled nursing and other similar medical facilities.
El Cajon – Senator Brian Jones (R-Santee) today sent the following letter to Governor Gavin Newsom requesting that he sign Senate Bill 305, a measure by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), to enact “Ryan’s Law”:
October 3, 2019
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 305 – Request for Signature
Dear Governor Newsom:
I urge you to sign Senate Bill 305, a measure authored by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) and co-authored by Senators Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), Jeff Stone (R-Temecula) and me that will allow terminally ill patients to use medically prescribed cannabis in hospice, acute care, skilled nursing and other similar medical facilities.
SB 305, also known as “Ryan’s Law,” is in memory of Ryan Bartell, who died last year of pancreatic cancer. Ryan was a 41 year-old San Diegan who had previously served in the Coast Guard and assisted his wife who helped autistic children.
Ryan’s father Jim is a good friend of mine who relayed that in the latter stages of Ryan’s cancer, Ryan was in excruciating pain at a medical facility that could only administer pain-relieving medicines such as morphine and fentanyl. Both of these strong medicines kept Ryan asleep and uncommunicative most of the time, leaving any chance at interaction with his family and friends impossible. So Ryan requested medical cannabis, which is now routinely prescribed by many doctors, but was not allowed as it is still prohibited from being administered in a medical facility under state law.
The solution in SB 305 would simply allow non-smoking, non-vaping medical cannabis to be administered in several types of state-licensed medical facilities, under a strict set of regulations.
I believe that as state officials we have a duty to our constituents who are in the final days, weeks and months of their life – facing a terminal illness – to do all we can to both provide an easing to the pain and suffering but also allow for patients to choose what quality of life remains. If in Ryan’s case medical cannabis provided the necessary pain relief but also preserved his ability to enjoy his family and friends in his final days, outdated state law should not be a barrier.
Again, I encourage you to sign Senate Bill 305 into law. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Brian W. Jones
Senator, District 38
