As CBD pet products become more common in Michigan - and as pet exposure to marijuana becomes more likely - veterinarians are asking lawmakers to give them more leeway to discuss the substances with clients.

Legislation pending in the House Agriculture Committee would add language to Michigan’s public health code explicitly allowing veterinarians to talk about marijuana or CBD with pet owners, specifically to discuss pros and cons and whether the pet is being exposed to the products.

Michigan has allowed medicinal marijuana use since 2008, and hemp and recreational marijuana were legalized in 2018. But veterinarians weren’t included in those changes, so they’re not legally allowed to initiate discussions with owners about CBD or marijuana, or recommend the products as possible treatment.

This can pose problems for treating animals, experts told lawmakers Wednesday, because CBD and marijuana products can interact with other medication. Members of the public are also increasingly turning to the products as alternative treatments for various ailments - both for themselves and for their pets.

Sales of CBD pet products have increased rapidly throughout the country, increasing from $8 million in 2017 to $32 million in 2018, according to the Brightfield Group. The firm estimates the CBD pet market could reach $1.16 billion nationwide by 2022.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a hemp-derived extract that can be added to oils and lotions and is used as a natural remedy for anxiety, insomnia, depression and pain. It’s legal in the U.S. as a result of the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp -- but there have been no regulations or standards issued for the product.

Dr. Kellie Holmstrom, a Marquette veterinarian who helped inspire the legislation, said questions about CBD and marijuana products are a daily occurrence in her practice. But not being able to initiate those conversations limits her ability to give informed medical advice to an animal’s owner.

“I have to wait for the client to ask me what I think,” she said. “Without the correction, it holds our hands behind our backs in properly advocating what would be proper for their pet.”

Letting veterinarians share their expertise on potential health benefits and risks would help pet owners make more informed decisions about the products they’re seeing on store shelves, said Dr. Jeffery Powers, a northern Michigan veterinarian who serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s working group on cannabis.

Federal rules prohibit veterinarians from prescribing products that aren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Powers said, but added letting them discuss the products freely with clients and guiding them towards reliable information would be a “step in the right direction.”

“I do feel at some point that inserting veterinarians into the medical marijuana laws would be helpful - I think you’re going to see momentum for that as it develops in other states,” he said.

The legislation could also help veterinarians treat accidental overdoses, Powers said, telling lawmakers he once treated a dog that needed extensive care to recover after eating a whole bowl of marijuana brownie mix.

Both Powers and Holmstrom also said allowing veterinarians to partake in discussions about the products could help lead to better information and research about appropriate uses and side effects for animals. Powers mentioned additional research is already being done on how marijuana can be used to treat pets at institutions like Cornell University, Colorado State University and Purdue University.

The legislation is House Bill 5085 and is sponsored by Rep. Gregory Markkanen, R-Houghton. The bill would need to clear both the House and Senate and be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to become law.