Nev. bill would OK medical marijuana for pets
By Michelle Rindels, AP
CARSON CITY — Pets might soon be able to use pot under a bill introduced Tuesday in the Nevada Legislature.
Democratic state Sen. Tick Segerblom is sponsoring the measure that would allow animal owners to get marijuana for their pet if a veterinarian certifies the animal has an illness that might be alleviated by the drug.
Segerblom said he’s concerned that some animals might have adverse reactions, but “you don’t know until you try,” he said.
Some veterinarians who have given cannabis to sick and dying pets say it has relieved their symptoms, although the substance hasn’t been proven as a painkiller for animals.
Los Angeles veterinarian Doug Kramer told the Associated Press in 2013 that pot helped ease his Siberian husky’s pain during her final weeks, after she had surgery to remove tumors. Kramer said cannabis helped his dog, Nikita, gain weight and live an extra six weeks before she was euthanized.
“I grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn’t doing everything I could to make their lives better,” Kramer told the AP. “I felt like I was letting them down.”
The proposal is in its earliest stages and faces several legislative hurdles before it could become law. The pot-for-pets provision of SB372 is part of a larger bill that would overhaul the state’s medical marijuana law, removing penalties for drivers who have marijuana in their blood and requiring training for pot-shop owners.
Segerblom said he added the provision after being approached by a constituent.
State Sen. Mark Manendo, a fellow Democrat and animal rights advocate, said he hadn’t heard of the practice of giving marijuana to animals and is concerned about its safety.
“That gives me pause,” he said. “Alcohol is bad, chocolate is bad for dogs.”
His own dog died in his arms at age 15, and the experience was difficult and emotional, he said.
But “I don’t know if I would’ve given him marijuana,” Manendo said.
WEED FOR PETS? Medical marijuana isn’t for every pet, but if your pet is suffering and cannabis helps, why should anyone face the threat of legal actions for helping a pet they love?
BTW, Birds are extremely sensitive to anything toxic in their environment, yet they clearly prefer cannabis smoke and will move towards it when given the chance. Furthermore, birds exposed to cannabis smoke or seeds will begin singing, even if they have never done so before.
Might be better than having medical marijuana growers destroying the rental homes in south shore. Here’s the plan buy a nice ranch in carson valley, buy a herd of injured cattle. Get the vet to 215 them. Next till the ground run your John Deere and bale up tons of weed to be sold at the wellness center in south shore all under the guise of cows not feeling good. It’ll work!
I’ve seen it all now. Some for you… some for me. Some for you… some for me. Do you feel better now? I sure do. What did you say say? You want more? Sure.
BOW WOW
C’mon Fido- hook me up!
A “tick segerblom” is a serious condition for animals and this is about as funny as the pets in bars bill, now if these red eyed skunk smelling smoke filled people posing as politicians had their way, there would be more stumbling and tail chasing intoxicated pets around begging at fast food places.
Sorry, but this is ridiculous. I used to work in a Vet’s office and I cannot tell you the number of times we had pet’s come into the office with serious illnesses and on the verge of death because they had ingested their owners marijuana edibles. From what I have experienced and what ANY doctor at the practice would confirm is that marijuana is toxic to dogs. The Senator clearly states that he is unsure of the effects it has on pets but is willing to risk it “because you don’t know until you try’?? Not to mention it open the doors for people to misuse the system and use their pets to gain access to marijuana.
Stupidity, what does one expect of the chronically stoned…
100% correct, Nature. I haven’t seen something this ridiculous in a long time. More likely, it’s just a scheme to make marijuana more available to the pet owners. Buckle down, everyone, we’re going to have a bunch of stoned out dogs running all over town pretty soon.
“you don’t know until you try.” Why don’t you stick your head in front of a truck on the freeway? You don’t know whether you’ll like it until you try.
I am not sure about giving Pot to a pet either. And this article is about Pot not Cannabinol or THC, right.
I wonder if these are ex-California laughing stock people proposing these garbage bills that have zero to do with governing a state. This is making Nevada look like a joke.
Ya know ……..come to think of it my cat has been acting a little off lately. Think I’ll get a Med card for him and light the Bong up for the poor little guy !