Pets may soon have access to medicinal marijuana thanks to a bill being proposed to Nevada legislature.
Specifically, a provision attached to the bill that aims to refine current laws so as to clarify penalties for drivers operating vehicles with marijuana in their blood and to allow the resale of marijuana dispensaries.
Nevada State Senator Tick Seglerblom is sponsoring the measure that would permit pet owners to legally procure marijuana for their furry friends if their veterinarians determine that the pets have symptoms that may be alleviated by the use of cannabis.
Seglerblom has said that he does worry about the side-effects of the drug, though he says "you don't know until you try."
That is exactly the worry of some pet owners in Nevada who are uncertain of the harm marijuana can cause their pets. One example of such pet owners is another Nevada Senator, Mark Manendo.
Manendo, who is an animal rights advocate, worries it could have effects similar to alcohol or chocolate for dogs. He mentions that he had recently lost a dog, which was emotionally difficult, yet he said, "I don't know if I would've given him marijuana."
Manendo tells MRCTV his constituents are worried that pot is unsafe for pets:
"Since the bill was introduced [Tuesday], I have had many people contact me with concerns. We must take into consideration the safety and well-being of the animals. I am open-minded, but we still have so many issues this legislature is working on related to the medical marijuana bill that was passed last session."
It's surprising that there hasn't been more of an uproar from pet owners and veterinarians as studies have found that there has been an increased in suspected marijuana toxicosis in dogs in correlation to states, such as Colorado, that have legalized recreational use of the drug. Two cases had even proven fatal.