Texas Moves To Soften Cannabis Restrictions And Expand Medical Cannabis Program

TX – Texas was often viewed as one of the most restrictive states in terms of medical cannabis, especially in 2015 when it approved the Compassionate Use Program, which covered only one condition – intractable epilepsy – and allowed patients to consume only “low-THC” products (from 0.3% to 0.5% THC) while denying access to smokable cannabis flower and forbidding home cultivation.

Since then, things have changed. Limitations are slowly being removed and new cannabis regulations are under consideration. Just this week, several cannabis-related measures were approved in the House, including a proposal to research the potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA and to expand the state’s medical cannabis program by adding more qualifying conditions to the list, reported Marijuana Moment.

Under this bill, approved on Wednesday, the Department of State Health Services would add cancer, chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to its list of qualifying conditions. It could also raise the THC cap for medical cannabis products from 0.5% to 5%.

Initially, the bill had proposed approving PTSD as a qualifying condition exclusively for military veterans. But then, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Stephanie Klick (R), recommended changing it to include anyone suffering from PTSD.

“Believe it or not, the number [of people with PTSD] is actually higher for survivors of sexual assault, than it is for veterans,” Klick said. “And we need to include them, in that sexual assault is more likely to cause PTSD than any other event.”

The bill passed without objection, reported Marijuana Moment.

Another bill proposing the reduction of penalties for possessing cannabis concentrates was also approved. The Texas chamber will consider a broader cannabis decriminalization measure on Thursday.

The proposed decriminalization bill intends to create a new drug schedule that would lower the penalty for THC products as compared to their current status. Although possession of up to two ounces of concentrates – a class B misdemeanor – would still warrant jail time.