Medical marijuana took another step forward late Friday as the Committee on Public Health in the Texas House of Representatives approves a bill designed to address the state’s medical marijuana program. HB 2107 passed the committee by a vote of 7 to 2. The measure would expand on the 2015 law that legalized small amounts of cannabis for medical use in Texas. Specifically, it increases the number of medical conditions that qualify for cannabis use and improves the variety of medical marijuana available to patients.
Heather Fazio, Texas political director for the Marijuana Policy Project sees it as a critical step forward. “This is critical legislation that could dramatically help thousands of patients and families throughout Texas. It will make the Compassionate Use Program workable and more inclusive for patients with debilitating medical conditions. We are seeing an unprecedented level of support for medical cannabis legislation in the House of Representatives, and we hope the Calendars Committee will make it a priority to schedule a vote on this important bill. Seriously ill Texans should not have to wait another couple years for the medical cannabis program to be fixed. Lawmakers have an opportunity to do it now, and we hope they will do everything in their power to capitalize on it.”
The bill now goes to the Calendars Committee, which will decide whether to bring it up for a vote in the full house. Thursday is the deadline for bills to pass the House this session.