Cannabis Enters Longevity Care As Oregon Allows Use In Hospice And Palliative Settings

Oregon is moving toward aligning with a broader shift in longevity care.

Governor Tina Kotek signed HB 4142 into law earlier this month, allowing patients with debilitating medical conditions to use medical cannabis in designated residential care facilities such as those providing hospice and palliative care.

The measure is similar to “Ryan’s Law,” a California bill previously enacted into law that supports terminally ill patients to safely use medical cannabis.

Quality of Life

The policy change enacted by Gov. Kotek focuses not just on how long people live, but how well they live at the end of their lives. The bill addresses barriers that patients in need of medical cannabis for symptom management, such as chronic pain, nausea, or anxiety, previously faced in an attempt to use cannabis in care facilities.

The policy change requires facility staff to go through specialized training, while patients must be registered Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) cardholders.

Moreover, the new law prohibits the Oregon State Board of Nursing from disciplining nurses who discuss medical cannabis with patients.

The legislation from Rep. Farrah Chaichi will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

Policy Push

In the meantime, similar measures are advancing in states like Colorado and Louisiana. The policy push suggests growing institutional acceptance of cannabis in healthcare and as a part of end-of-life care.

Colorado’s SB 26-007, signed by Gov. Jared Polis recently, allows terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in healthcare facilities under certain conditions. However, it also makes participation optional for such facilities, as a legislative push by Louisiana lawmakers who recently advanced a similar policy.

Virginia lawmakers also passed bills this year to expand access to medical marijuana in hospitals and provide legal protections for healthcare workers to administer it to terminally ill patients. That is, if federal law changes to reclassify cannabis.

A $29 Billion Market With Long-Term Demand Tailwinds

From an economic perspective, the longevity angle could translate into institutional adoption and long-term demand stability, as this segment tends to be consistent, driven by objective clinical necessity, and is less price-sensitive.

The longevity and palliative care segment represents a large and structurally growing healthcare market, with U.S. hospice services alone estimated at roughly $29 billion, supported by an aging population expected to exceed 80 million Americans aged 65+ by 2040. At the same time, more than 50 million U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain, pointing to sustained, non-discretionary demand for symptom management solutions where medical cannabis is increasingly being integrated.

An approach that isn’t just about extending life, but also about extending functional and comfortable years for patients creates an opportunity for a growing market around chronic pain management, sleep optimization, reduction of anxiety, support for those with neurodegenerative diseases, and providing end-of-life comfort.