This week Texas lawmakers approved a bill that would allow farmers to grow hemp as an industrial crop in the state.
Dubbed House Bill 1325, the bill would also legalize certain hemp-derived products. This means many CBD products with low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), that have less than 0.3 percent.
Currently, the Texas Compassionate Use Act only allowed patients with “intractable epilepsy” to legally access marijuana.
House Bill 1365 would also expand Texas’s Compassionate Use Act to allow patients with other diseases and ailments, including autism, cancer, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, HIV, PTSD, sickle cell anemia and more to access marijuana for medical purposes. Currently only “intractable epilepsy” is allowed for legally accessible marijuana.
The bill now needs to be approved once more in the House and will then head to the Texas Senate.
The author’s bill, Tracy King, a Democrat from Batesvill said, “I’m optimistic. I’m excited about it.”
This week the Texas House is also scheduled to debate legislation that would decriminalize the possession of an ounce or less.
The bill dubbed House Bill 63, by Democratic Rep. Joe Moody, would replace current criminal penalty with a fine of $250 or less.
Both bills will eventually need to head to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
