(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a health care facility shall permit patient use of medicinal cannabis, as indicated by the attending physician, as defined by Section 11362.7, in the patient’s medical record and shall do all of the following:

(1) (A) A home health agency shall prohibit smoking or vaping immediately before or while home health agency staff are present in the residence.

(B) All other health facilities shall prohibit smoking or vaping as methods to use medicinal cannabis.

(2) Include the use of medicinal cannabis within the patient’s medical records.

(3) Require a patient to provide a copy of the patient’s valid identification card, as described in Section 11362.715, or a copy of that patient’s written documentation as defined in Section 11362.7.

(4) Require a patient or a primary caregiver, as defined in Section 11362.7, to be responsible for acquiring, retrieving, administering, and removing medicinal cannabis.

(5) Require medicinal cannabis to be stored securely at all times in a locked container in the patient’s room, other designated area, or with the patient’s primary caregiver. This requirement does not apply to a home health agency.

(6) Prohibit health care professionals, health care facility staff, and home health agency staff, including, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, from administering medicinal cannabis or retrieving medicinal cannabis from storage.

(7) Develop, disseminate, and train health facility staff on the written guidelines developed by the facility for the use and disposal of medicinal cannabis within the health care facility pursuant to this chapter. This requirement does not apply to a home health agency.

(8) Ensure that a patient is not denied admission to the health care facility in whole or in part because of the patient’s use of medicinal cannabis.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a general acute care hospital specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1250 shall not permit a patient with a chronic disease to use medicinal cannabis.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 484, Sec. 2. (SB 302) Effective January 1, 2024.)