As 2026 brings a new wave of marijuana reform bills to state legislatures across the U.S., a theme has emerged in one specific policy area: Lawmakers are pushing to allow seriously ill patients to access medical cannabis in hospital settings, with at least 13 states exploring the reform this year.
Variations of what’s become known as “Ryan’s Law”—named after a young California medical cannabis patient who passed and whose father has since become an advocate for marijuana access in hospitals—have been introduced in legislatures everywhere from New York to Hawaii this session.
Led by the Ryan’s Law Foundation and backed by top reform groups including NORML, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the Cannabis Nurses Network, activists hope to see the law widely enacted to ensure that patients, particularly those with terminal illnesses, are able to legally utilize cannabis.
California and Minnesota have already moved forward with the policy change.
“So often in cannabis policy reform, advocates present logical, evidence-based recommendations that take years for legislators to fully embrace,” Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment.
“For cannabis advocates who have lobbied for increased access to cannabis products in medical facilities, the push
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
