Texas Senator José Menéndez to file Medical Marijuana Bill

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on December 07, 2016.

Texas Senator José Menéndez is scheduled to file a comprehensive medical marijuana bill on Tuesday to legalize marijuana in the state for medical purposes. Several patients, who would benefit from the marijuana legislation, will join the Senator’s effort.

If finalized, the bill would allow patients with debilitating and chronic medical conditions to receive marijuana under recommendation and consultation of their doctor, Menendez explained. Several diseases such as Cancer, PTSD, autism, HIV, severe pain and nausea, and Parkinson's are just a few of the ailments that would qualify for the marijuana program.

"Twenty-eight states have recognized the medical benefit of cannabis, including conservative states like Arkansas, Montana, and North Dakota," Menéndez said. "It's time Texas steps up to the plate and provide real relief for our suffering patients."

Dwight Clark, Legislative Director for Senator Menendez, says the bill does not specify the amount of marijuana patients can get and in what form because the senator believes doctors should make that call, not politicians.

"Doctors, not politicians, should be determining what is best for Texas patients," Menéndez said. "This is legitimate medicine that can help a of variety people, from the grandmother suffering from cancer to the veteran coping with PTSD after returning home from war."

In the last session of the Legislature, Menéndez filed the first comprehensive medical marijuana legislation in the history of Texas, Senate Bill 1839, which was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee.

Menéndez was also the co-author of the landmark Senate Bill 339 which allowed for limited cannabis use for people with intractable epilepsy.

If the marijuana bill confirmed, Texas would join 28 other states and the District of Columbia to legalize the use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Next Legislative session of the State will begin on January 10, 2017.

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