S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6709
 
                        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  -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Health
 
 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 10 of section 30 of the cannabis law is amended
 and a new subdivision 11 is added to read as follows:
   10. (A) Prior to issuing a certification a practitioner must complete,
 at  a  minimum,  a  two-hour  course  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 nine-
 ty of the public health law and shall be subject to the same  revocation
 process.
   (B)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  APPROVE AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT MORE, COURSE FOR
 PRACTITIONERS SEEKING TO CERTIFY PATIENTS FOR  MEDICAL  CANNABIS,  WHICH
 SHALL BE A MINIMUM 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
 ADMINISTRATION; RISKS AND BENEFITS; WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS; ABUSE  AND
 DEPENDENCE; AND SUCH OTHER COMPONENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE.
   11.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE ON
 THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS  PROGRAM  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO
 SECTION  THIRTY-THREE  SIXTY-A  OF  THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, INCLUDING THE
 INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF SUCH
 SECTION.
   § 2. Subdivision 12 of section 3360 of the public health law, as added
 by chapter 90 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08994-02-5
 A. 6709                             2
 
   12. "Practitioner"  means  a  practitioner  who  (i)  is  a  physician
 licensed  by New York state and practicing within the state, (ii) who by
 training or experience is qualified to  treat  a  serious  condition  as
 defined  in subdivision seven of this section; and (iii) has completed a
 two  to  four  hour  course  as [determined by the commissioner in regu-
 lation] REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION THIRTY-THREE HUNDRED  SIXTY-ONE  OF
 THIS  TITLE  AND  SECTION THIRTY OF THE CANNABIS LAW and registered with
 the department; provided however, a registration  shall  not  be  denied
 without cause. Such course may count toward board certification require-
 ments.  The  commissioner  shall consider the inclusion of nurse practi-
 tioners under this title based upon considerations including access  and
 availability. After such consideration the commissioner is authorized to
 deem nurse practitioners as practitioners under this title.
   §  3.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision 1 of section 3361 of the public
 health law, as added by chapter 90 of the laws of 2014,  is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   (a)  a practitioner has been registered with the department to issue a
 certification as determined by the commissioner AND  HAS  COMPLETED  THE
 TWO-HOUR  COURSE  REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TEN OF SECTION THIRTY
 OF THE CANNABIS LAW;
   § 4. The public health law is amended by adding a new  section  3360-a
 to read as follows:
   § 3360-A. ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS PROGRAM. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
 ESTABLISHED  WITHIN  THE DEPARTMENT THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AWARENESS
 PROGRAM WHICH SHALL EDUCATE  HEALTH  CARE  PRACTITIONERS  REGARDING  THE
 ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER BODILY SYSTEMS.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS
 MANAGEMENT, SHALL ESTABLISH AND DISTRIBUTE TO HEALTH CARE  PRACTITIONERS
 COMPREHENSIVE  INFORMATION  AND  GUIDANCE  REGARDING THE ENDOCANNABINOID
 SYSTEM AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER BODILY FUNCTIONS.  SUCH  INFORMA-
 TION  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 PATHWAYS;
 AND
   (F) INTERACTIONS OF CANNABIS WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL:
   (A) INFORM HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS OF 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 THIS SECTION.
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to
 title 5-A of article 33 of the public health law made by section four of
 this act, shall not affect the repeal of such title and shall be  deemed
 repealed  therewith.    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.