With the legislative session almost over in Texas, many are wondering if lawmakers will take action on a bill intended to expand the state’s current medical cannabis program to raise THC limits from 0.5 percent to five percent by weight.
Also, who will have access to the drug? These are questions that have been plaguing medical patients for some time.
Last week, the Texas House passed its version of the measure, House Bill 1535, but nothing has happened since. Some are saying moving forward is unlikely.
A former Dallas Cowboy and his wife are pleading for a new medical cannabis bill to help their son.
“This is not about getting people high,” said Amy Novacek, wife of former Dallas Cowboy and three-time Super Bowl champion Jay Novacek. “This is not about anything but the medical use of it prescribed by a doctor.”
According to KDFW-Fox 4 TV, Novacek stated that her son, Blake, has suffered since a 2015 head trauma from multiple health issues, including seizure and migraines. He experiences more than a dozen seizures daily, and medical-grade cannabis is one of the few treatments that help alleviate his symptoms.
The Lone Star State already has a cannabis program on the books, but the allowed concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is barely more than commonly available cannabidiol (CBD) products available to the general public. THC is the psychoactive element of the plant.
In addition to reducing the amount of liquid their son has to consume on a daily basis, the Novaceks’ say the proposal would expand the state’s program of medical cannabis to include all Texans suffering from cancer.
The expansion would also welcome patients with debilitating conditions and chronic pain into the program. In addition, an amendment to HB 1535 could now include all forms of post-traumatic stress instead of being limited to former service members diagnosed with PTSD.
