A new law taking effect Oct. 1 clears Maryland veterinarians to recommend cannabis products for pets without risking their licenses.
It’s the first veterinary-specific cannabis law to pass in the U.S. in four years, according to VIN News Service, the media arm of the Veterinary Information Network.
Maryland joins California, Michigan, Nevada and Utah as the only states with laws on the books protecting veterinarians who advise clients on cannabis, VIN reported.
With veterinary pain management a multibillion-dollar industry, the move creates new potential opportunities for cannabis product-makers and sellers.
Can veterinarians prescribe cannabis for pets?
Until now, Maryland veterinarians who even talked about cannabis with clients could face disciplinary action.
Under HB 451, which passed the state legislature unanimously before Gov. Wes Moore signed it into law in April, vets can now discuss the use of cannabis-derived products.
However, with no U.S. Food and Drug-approved pet formulations, vets still can’t prescribe cannabis.
Pet owners often ask about cannabis to ease anxiety, manage pain or provide end-of-life comfort for their companion animals – then turn to human products or a budtender when their veterinarian stays silent, critics said.
“They want viable options,” Dr. Ashley Nichols, a practitioner and board member of the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association, told VIN News.
How big is the cannabis market for pets?
The market is significant.
The global veterinary pain-management market was valued at about $2.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $3.8 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
And the National Cancer Institute reports that about 6 million dogs are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year.
Is cannabis approved for use in animals?
The FDA hasn’t approved cannabis for any use in animals, but at least one company is working to change that.
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Endovia Health Sciences has teamed up with Lupvindol Biosciences to move its CannEpil CBD and THC formulation through the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.
The drug is being developed for cancer-related pain and chronic pain management in dogs.
