Impactful and Heartfelt Hearing Creates Historic Support for Texas Medical Cannabis Bill
Impactful and Heartfelt Hearing Creates Historic Support for Texas Medical Cannabis Bill
Late in the evening on Tuesday, May 2nd, the House Public Health Committee held a hearing for HB 2107 which would make the Compassionate Use Program more inclusive for patients with debilitating medical conditions. Many patients stayed late into the evening to provide powerful and emotional testimony. After a powerful hearing with targeted testimony, the authors for the bill jumped from 5 to 75! This is historic and unprecedented in Texas.
Veterans demanded access for service related disabilities. Doctors spoke to the efficacy and safety profile of cannabis. 66 testimonies were offered in support. 187 registered in support. There was only one verbal opposition. It is TBD if there were more registered against not testifying as the full witness list has not been released yet.
photo credit: Heather Fazio
We are very happy to see that our coordination with the authors and committee members has paid of so well. We appreciated all the speakers that were invited to speak and came to share their story. Thank you to the authors, committee members, staffers, our team and coalition and to all who advocate!
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photo credit: Eric Espinoza, DFW NORML Secretary
Hello. I do wish I was there! I tried really hard. I am on the board with Houston NORML. My name is LaTonya Whittington. I have testified twice in Austin. And I was there for the first Lobby Day this year. I was sadden but no support from anyone to get there this last time to testify. But I did send my testimony. I am the one that has Trigeminal Neuralgia. It is very hard to live with. I will never be cured from this. I had a Micro Vascular Decompression surgery last year. Very serious. I had to learn how to walk again after something so sever like that. I take about 11 different types of medicine for my health issues. I could get of at least 3 to 4 of those if I had access to cannabis. Now I take Hemp Oil and it helps. Along with flower cannabis. I will always fight for the right to make our own choices. We are grown people.
It’s a new day and age and we have learned marijuana is not as bad for you as we were once taught in grade school. It was know. As the gateway drug . Which is so far from the truth. I never would have smoked pot if i weren’t intoxicated from alcohol. I’ve made some of my worst decisions after drinking alcohol. I made poor choices and tried all kinds of drugs due to the effects alcohol had on my decision making. After being diagnosed with A.D.D in elementary school I was forced to take medication to treat this called disease all the way through junior high. I now use marijuana everyday. Sure when I was younger I used irresponsibly just as I did alcohol. Now that I am older with a college degree, my own business and a house it’s safe to say my decision making has improved tremendously. I smoke a very small amount with my coffee in the morning and enjoy a bit more in the evening after my day is done and responsibilities have been handled. With A.D.D it’s hard for me to relax and spend my free time relaxing just shutting down my brain from the endless work that is out in to running your own business. Marijuana helps me to slow down and get the rest I need to carry on to the next day, it helps with my nauseas stomach allows me appetite to increase.I do not abuse this plant just as I don’t abuse alcohol any longer. I feel that it is much safer and the side effects are much less severe as opposed to alcohol. Please pass this for medical use as many people could benefit from this as opposed to horrible side effects that come with opiates and alcohol. It’s just great to this transition that marijuana isn’t so evil.
I am sure that there were a lot of compelling testimonies, and be assured that there are many more testimonies that will never be heard but were there in spirit. I just thank God that the mind set of the representatives is changing. Good work, keep the faith…
signed
Hi there all Texans if we vote to legalize Cannabis let’s do it for a good reason as medical. Also will also help bring in more taxes for our schools,roads,bridges,elderly, homeless and or vets. I really think it could help our state plus if they can legalize weapons in our colleges,our public olases and other places then we should legalize it.
Please please please help pass this. It IS a cure. I myself need it medically and so does a few more people I know and love. Medical Cannabis WILL so many children and adults. If anything please do it for the children. Thank you.