A bill that would expand Texas’ medical marijuana program has been passed by the state’s full House of Representatives.
House Bill 1805, sponsored by Representative Stephanie Klick, was passed today by the house in an overwhelming 121 to 23 vote. This sends the measure to the Senate, with passage in the Senate sending it to Governor Greg Abbott for consideration.
House Bill 1805 would add chronic pain “for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid” to the state’s list of medical ailments that qualify an individual to become a medical marijuana patient. The legislation would also replace the 1% cap on THC content by instead instituting a volumetric dose of 10mg.
As introduced HB 1805 would have increased the limit placed on THC content from 1% to 5%, but an amendment adopted in committee instead would institute a volumetric dose of 10mg.
HB 1805 also empowers the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying condition through an administrative process.
Under the state’s current medical marijuana program qualifying conditions include autism, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, a seizure disorder, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an incurable neurodegenerative disease or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The full text of House Bill 1805 can be found by clicking here.
