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Medical Cannabis

4-5 minute read

Our Position

The development of a robust Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) has been incremental, and 2021's HB 1535 (Klick) builds upon previous years' progress. This bill adds PTSD and non-terminal cancer to the list of qualifying diagnoses for participation in TCUP and doubles the legal amount of THC in medical cannabis products.

We support the continued expansion of TCUP to cover more Texans and to give patients and their doctors greater control over determining the proper dosing levels of both CBD and THC to best meet the individual's need. We also see medical cannabis as a potentially significant source of state revenues and new jobs, as demonstrated in multiple states.

Partners

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy

Supporting Organizations

ADAPT of Texas
American Council of the Blind of Texas
Autism Society of Texas
Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living
DisabilitySA
Easterseals Serving Central Texas
Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas
Helping Restore Ability
National Infusion Center Association
Panhandle Independent Living Center (PILC)
Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas (PACT)
REACH Resource Centers on Independent Living-Ft. Worth, Dallas, Denton, & Plano
SymbioWellness
Texas Association for Interior Design
Texas Nurses Association
Texas Parent to Parent
Texas Silver-Haired Legislature
Art Spark Texas (formerly VSA Texas)

The Latest

May 20, 2021: Article: Texas bill could expand state's medical marijuana program

May 10, 2021: Take action! Tell your reps to Fix Texas' Compassionate Use Program!

April 28, 2021: The House passes HB 1535 (Klick), on to the Senate! CBS DFW's coverage of the bill's passage: Texas House Passes Bill To Expand Medical Marijuana Access

April 8, 2021: Two news articles covering the progress of HB 1535 (Klick) in the House: Texas House committee passes bill to expand medical marijuana program and Texas House considers another expansion of state’s medical marijuana program

Background

In 2019, in accordance with the priorities of our membership and member organizations, CTD began advocating heavily for an expanded Texas Compassionate Use program (TCUP). At that time, policy on medical cannabis and qualifying conditions allowed access to safe and legal cannabis to less than 1% of Texans. We supported legislation that would:

Expand qualifying conditions and cannabis options

Allow Medical professionals closest to their patients and their caregivers to recommend vs. prescribe medical cannabis as a treatment option when appropriate.
Allow patients and their medical professionals to create personalized treatment plans by incorporating a diversity of cannabis products and delivery methods.

Ensure safe and legal access to cannabis through regulation

State oversight through a robust regulatory framework and enforcement that works closely with Texas patients, families, Medical professional, law enforcement, and the cannabis industry.
Third party independent Lab testing that ensures safety and quality.
Effective distribution of dispensaries across the state to ensure all Texans have reasonable access to safe and legal medical cannabis.

That year, we helped to pass a game-changing bill, HB 3703 (Klick), that extended the qualifying conditions for TCUP from only intractable epilepsy to: other kinds of epilepsy and seizure disorders, autism, MS, spasticity, terminal cancer, and incurable neurodegenerative diseases (like ALS and Parkinson’s).

This was a major development in a state that, only 3 legislative sessions before, had declared a hard NO to any medical cannabis policy. However, our work is not done. There remain many populations who would benefit enormously from access to safe, legal medical cannabis that were left behind by HB 3703: individuals with PTSD, depression and other mental health diagnoses, complex pain management needs, autoimmune disorders, cancer with any prognosis, and others. We know that Texans will continue to suffer because of lack of access to medical cannabis, and CTD will continue our work to expand access in 2021.

In addition, the progress made in 2019 on medical cannabis came with an unintended consequence: hemp, derived from the same plant, was legalized and remains largely unregulated. The result has been that numerous consumers left regulated medical cannabis for cheaper, unregulated hemp products. In 2021, legislators should recognize this change in environment and reform the medical cannabis laws with a goal to drive consumers to safer, regulated, and more effective products in the Texas Compassionate Use Program. With a state budget shortfall and unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis, additional TCUP reform could be a source of state revenues and new jobs as demonstrated in other states.