AUSTIN, TX — At the time of this publication, the recreational use of cannabis is legal in 17 different states. For medical cannabis, that number is 36 and it also includes the District of Columbia and four out of five U.S territories.
So where does the Lone Star state stand regarding cannabis?
During this 87th Legislative Session, the Public Health Committee from the state House of Representatives all voted in favor of passing House Bill 1535.
House Bill 1535 would allow the medical use of low-THC cannabis by patients with certain medical conditions.
Alongside this, the bill would also establish compassionate-use institutional review boards to evaluate and approve proposed research programs; these boards would study the use of low-THC cannabis as a treatment for certain patients in Texas.
According to the legal text, patient criteria would expand to include people diagnosed with any of the following:
- Epilepsy
- Seizure disorder
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spasticity
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Autism
- Cancer
- Incurable neurodegenerative diseases
- A condition that causes acute or chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and is a veteran
- A debilitating medical condition designated by the Department of State Health Services
- A medical condition that is approved for a research program under Subchapter F, Chapter 487
Additionally, this bill would increase the THC cap from 0.5% to 5%.
With this legislation, Texas joins other Republican-led states that have shifted towards leaner cannabis restrictions.
Last December, both Mississippi and South Dakota voted to legalize medical cannabis, with the latter also legalizing it for recreational use.
“LIKE” 25 NEWS KRHD ON FACEBOOK FOR ALL THE LATEST BRAZOS VALLEY STORIES!
