Oregon’s latest effort to expand medical cannabis access for terminally ill patients has stalled in the state legislature, marking the second time in recent years that a bill modeled after California’s SB311 failed to advance.
House Bill 3214, introduced in early 2025, aimed to allow hospice and palliative care patients in licensed healthcare facilities to use medical cannabis during end-of-life care. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care and then to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, where it ultimately died upon adjournment in June.
This is not the first time Oregon lawmakers have considered such legislation. According to the Compassionate Oregon coalition, a similar bill was introduced in 2023 but did not pass.
California’s original Ryan’s Law was passed in 2021 and implemented statewide in 2022, becoming the first law of its kind to grant terminally ill patients the legal right to use medical cannabis within healthcare settings. The law is named after Ryan Bartell, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who spent the final weeks of his life battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
His father, Jim Bartell, witnessed the benefits cannabis brought to his son’s quality of life in hospice care after Ryan chose to replace heavy opioids with medical cannabis to remain awake and alert.
Speaking about Oregon’s legislative outcome, Jim Bartell said:
“The Ryan’s Law Foundation will continue its mission to fight for compassionate care implementation in hospice care for terminally ill patients in all states where medical cannabis is legal. We are aware that it will not be easy, but we are up for the challenge.”
Cannabis policy experts agree that the stakes of such legislation extend beyond individual patient comfort. Ken Sobel, a cannabis attorney present during Regular Session House Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care Meeting of March 11, 2025, emphasized that Ryan’s Law represents an important step in bridging the gap between cannabis medicine and conventional medicine.
“The impact of Ryan’s Law goes beyond alleviating human suffering for end-of-life patients,” Sobel said. “It is a vital first step to integrate cannabis into mainstream healthcare, which could improve the treatment of disease symptoms for millions.”
Despite the setback in the Beaver State, momentum for Ryan’s Law continues to build nationwide. Similar bills are under review or being drafted in other states.
Right now, we have similar bills under review or being drafted in at least six other states, and another half-dozen are exploring policy options,” said Jim Bartell.
As legislative sessions resume next year, advocates representing Ryan’s Law are expected to renew their efforts, joining a national movement shifting the conversation around cannabis in end-of-life care from ideological debate to practical implementation.
About The Author
Navy veteran JM Balbuena is an award-winning author, filmmaker, advocate, and entrepreneur committed to empowering aspiring leaders in the legal cannabis space. Her debut book, The Successful Canna-preneur, earned her “Cannabis Educator of the Year” (2021 Las Vegas Cannabis Awards) and inclusion in The New Latina’s “100 Latinas Shaping The World.” In June 2024, JM published Green Renaissance, exploring cannabis culture, history, and its potential for equity and economic growth, cementing her status as a thought leader in the industry. Find out more about JB Balbuena here.
