S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6709--B
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, TAPIA, MEEKS,
DE LOS SANTOS, LUPARDO, DAVILA, CUNNINGHAM, JENSEN, REYES, LUNSFORD,
FORREST, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on
Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the cannabis law and the public health law, in relation
to the course required to be taken by practitioners certifying
patients as eligible for medical cannabis and establishing the endo-
cannabinoid system awareness program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 30 of the cannabis law, as amended
by chapter 544 of the laws of 2025, is amended and a new subdivision 9
is added to read as follows:
8. (A) Prior to issuing a certification a practitioner must complete
appropriate training as determined by the board in regulation; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THAT SUCH COURSE SHALL, AT A MINIMUM, MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF
PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. For the purposes of this article a
person's status as a practitioner is deemed to be a "license" for the
purposes of section thirty-three hundred ninety of the public health law
and shall be subject to the same revocation process.
(B) THE OFFICE SHALL APPROVE AT LEAST ONE COURSE FOR PRACTITIONERS
SEEKING TO CERTIFY PATIENTS FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS, WHICH SHALL BE A MINI-
MUM OF TWO HOURS IN DURATION.
(C) THE EDUCATIONAL CONTENT OF SUCH COURSE OR COURSES SHALL INCLUDE:
THE PHARMACOLOGY OF CANNABIS; CONTRAINDICATIONS; SIDE EFFECTS; ADVERSE
REACTIONS; OVERDOSE PREVENTION; DRUG INTERACTIONS; DOSING; ROUTES OF
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08994-07-6
A. 6709--B 2
ADMINISTRATION; RISKS AND BENEFITS; WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS; ABUSE AND
DEPENDENCE; AND SUCH OTHER COMPONENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE.
9. THE OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE ON THE
ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION
FIFTY OF THIS CHAPTER, INCLUDING THE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ESTAB-
LISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF SUCH SECTION.
§ 2. The cannabis law is amended by adding a new article 3-A to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 3-A
ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM
SECTION 50. ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM.
§ 50. ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE OFFICE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM WHICH SHALL CREATE
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS REGARDING THE ENDO-
CANNABINOID SYSTEM AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER BODILY SYSTEMS.
2. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF
HEALTH, SHALL CREATE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE REGARDING
THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER BODILY FUNC-
TIONS. SUCH INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
TO, THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
(A) THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM;
(B) CANNABINOIDS, CHRONIC PAIN AND OPIOIDS;
(C) PHARMACOGENETICS AND CANNABIS;
(D) FEDERAL FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) APPROVED CANNABINOID
MEDICATIONS;
(E) RISKS, BENEFITS, AND IMPACTS OF CANNABIS CONSUMPTION ON BODY
SYSTEMS; AND
(F) INTERACTIONS OF CANNABIS WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS.
§ 3. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 32 to read as follows:
32. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL:
(A) SEND GUIDANCE TO HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS ON THE NEED TO BE AWARE
OF THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER BODILY
FUNCTIONS; AND
(B) PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE ON THE ENDOCANNA-
BINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION FIFTY OF THE CANNABIS
LAW.
§ 4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of
any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on
its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before
such effective date.