Texas House of Representatives approved the bill to allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients for chronic pain. This brings it closer to passage.
Rep. Stephanie Klick (R), who would also repeal the THC limit that was set under the state’s limited medical cannabis law, cleared the chamber with a 121-23 vote in second reading Tuesday. The legislation needs to be passed by the House one more time before it can move to the Senate.
This vote comes just weeks after a separate House panel unanimously voted for a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession in the State while offering a path for records exoneration.
The medical marijuana expansion legislation passed the House Public Health Committee. It would replace the one-percent THC limit for cannabis oil with a volumetric dosage of 10 milligrams.
It would also include a tenth condition, which would allow patients to use low-THC cannabis products: “A condition that causes pain chronic enough that a doctor would prescribe an opioid.”
The bill also stipulates that the Department of State Health Services could approve by rulemaking additional debilitating medical conditions for patients who are eligible for the cannabis program. The bill, if passed, would become effective on September 1, 2023.
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Texas NORML advocates have encouraged supporters to contact their legislators and urge them to approve reform.
Jax James, Texas NORML Executive Director, stated in a Tuesday press release that “Passage” of the legislation will allow qualified patients to have a state-approved option to access a treatment that has shown to provide significant benefits. “Medical cannabis is objectively safer than the array of pharmaceutical drugs it could replace.”
Advocates would love to see the conservative legislature pass more holistic medical marijuana legislation or abolish prohibition entirely, but the measure is a significant expansion and recognizes the potential for cannabis as an opioid substitute.
The Texas House voted in favor of a cannabis decriminalization bill in 2019. However, it was not approved by the Senate. Since then, lawmakers have been unable to pass any additional extensive cannabis bills during recent sessions.
Governor. Greg Abbott (R), stated that he does not believe that people should be imprisoned for low-level marijuana possession. The governor suggested that the policy was already in place by lawmakers last year.
House Speaker Dade Phelan (R), stated in September that he would implement criminal justice reform in 2023 session. He also expressed support for lower penalties for marijuana possession.
The Texas Republican Party adopted an platform plank recommending decriminalization for marijuana possession in 2018. However, that plank was later repealed.
Last month’s poll found that the majority of Texas voters believe that the state’s marijuana laws need to be “less stringent.”
Three bills were also filed by Texas legislators last month to expand research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. These measures would be a continuation of the modest psychedelics law that was passed last session.
In Texas, however, there has been an increase in local action regarding marijuana issues over the past few years.
Major cities such as Austin have already implemented decriminalization locally at ballot level. voters also passed reform in five other Texas cities last November.
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Photo by Philip Steffan.
The post Texas House Approves a Bill to Allow Medical Marijuana as an Opioid Alternative and Replace THC Limit originally appeared on Marijuana Moment.
