Maryland Sends Veterinary Cannabis Protections to the Governor

A common-sense cannabis reform for pets, patients, and professionals is now one signature away from becoming law.

Maryland is on the verge of enacting another meaningful cannabis reform victory—and this one could make a real difference for pet owners and the veterinarians they trust.

This week, Maryland lawmakers sent SB 54 / HB 452 to Gov. Wes Moore, a bill that would protect veterinarians from being punished simply for talking honestly with clients about cannabis and CBD for animals. The legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and unanimous votes, a clear sign that this reform was both overdue and widely understood as common sense.

At its core, this bill is about something simple: people deserve honest medical conversations—and that principle should extend to veterinary care too.

For too long, many veterinarians have been placed in an impossible position. Pet owners are already asking questions about cannabis and CBD for pain, anxiety, inflammation, seizures, and end-of-life comfort. In many cases, those products are already available over the counter. But despite that reality, veterinary professionals have had reason to fear that even discussing cannabis options could put their licenses at risk. This legislation changes that by making clear that a veterinarian cannot be disciplined solely for discussing or recommending cannabis or cannabidiol products for an animal’s potential therapeutic use.

That is what real reform looks like: not hype, not stigma, not fear—just evidence-based conversations and professional freedom.

Suncoast NORML's connection to moving this in Maryland

Suncoast NORML Executive Director Chris Cano played a role in helping this legislation advance in his work as the Director of Political & Legislative Affairs for the Service Employees International Union Local 500 in the Maryland-D.C.-Virginia region, reinforcing the broad coalition that is increasingly shaping cannabis policy across the country.

That matters.

Too often, cannabis reform is framed as a niche issue or a culture-war issue. It is not. It is a worker rights issue, a professional freedom issue, a public health issue, and a compassion issue. Whether we are talking about nurses, firefighters, veterans, teachers, or veterinarians, the same basic principle keeps coming up: professionals should not be punished for engaging in honest, informed conversations about cannabis in legal and medically relevant settings.

Cano’s involvement underscores exactly why movement-building matters. Reform happens when cannabis advocates, labor advocates, healthcare-adjacent professionals, and community voices all push in the same direction. This bill is a strong example of what that kind of coalition work can achieve.

Why this bill matters beyond Maryland

This legislation may be about veterinary protections in Maryland, but its implications go much further.

Across the country, lawmakers are being forced to confront the gap between how widely cannabis is already being used and how outdated many laws and professional rules still are. Families are already making decisions about cannabinoid products for themselves and, in some cases, for their pets. The question is not whether those conversations are happening. The question is whether those conversations happen with trained professionals or in the dark.

The answer should be obvious.

If a pet owner is considering cannabis or CBD for an aging dog with chronic pain, or a cat going through serious illness, they should be able to ask their veterinarian and get a serious answer—not silence shaped by fear of state punishment.

That is why this bill is so important. It does not force anyone to recommend cannabis. It does not create reckless access. It simply protects the ability of licensed professionals to speak honestly and responsibly.

That should never have been controversial.

Suncoast NORML’s view

At Suncoast NORML, we believe cannabis policy should be rooted in compassion, science, and freedom—not stigma.

Maryland’s action is another reminder that cannabis reform is expanding in ways that touch everyday life far beyond adult-use legalization. It touches healthcare. It touches labor. It touches families. And yes, it touches the people who care for the animals we love.

Our executive director is helping move smart cannabis policy in spaces where serious legislative work gets done. That is what effective advocacy looks like: not just showing up when cameras are rolling, but doing the coalition work, policy work, and relationship work that helps reforms actually cross the finish line.

Maryland lawmakers did the right thing here. Now the bill is headed to Gov. Wes Moore, and all signs point to a reform that deserves to become law.

Our hopes are that Florida lawmakers will see their peers making progress on cannabis policy reforms in other states and find the courage to replicate these policies here at home.

Pet owners deserve answers. Veterinarians deserve protection. And cannabis policy deserves to catch up with reality.

Suncoast NORML is fighting for full legalization, consumer-centric policy reforms, and an end to every last piece of prohibition’s wreckage. Become a member. Donate. Organize. Apply pressure. Make lawmakers answer for it.

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