CBD oil was recently legalized in the state of Texas. However, the legalization comes with a long list of arbitrary requirements for use of the oil (while THC remains forbidden). One requirement for use is that a patient must prove they had no success with at least two pharmaceutical drugs prior to being treated with CBD oil. The bill, unfortunately, appeals to authority as Texan politicians—and politicians in general—frequently do. This time, it is an appeal to the authority of Big Pharma.
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According to High Times, “the law requires patients who qualify under the initial guidelines to be given permission by two state-licensed physicians before they can be approved for the medication.”
Last month, some believed there was hope for Texas’ legalization of cannabis when state Rep. David Simpson introduced a bill to fully legalize it in the state.
When Bill HB 2165 surprisingly passed the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, hopes were raised.
They were promptly slashed when Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that “as long as he’s in office,” cannabis will stay illegal. The bill was subsequently crushed.
In that context, it seems like the governor had to make a compromise—but the ensuing outrage from advocates of legalization was predictable: in Texas, police still beat up and incarcerate people for having resin-filled pipes.
After making the compromise, he said,
“There is currently no cure for intractable epilepsy and many patients have had little to no success with currently approved drugs…However, we have seen promising results from CBD oil testing and with the passage of this legislation, there is now hope for thousands of families who deal with the effects of intractable epilepsy every day.”
The good news is that the wall of opposition to cannabis legalization is crumbling, even in a traditionally conservative state like Texas.
Even Louisiana—one of the strictest states regarding cannabis (after Texas)—is coming up with legislation to legalize it.
The citizens of these states would be well-advised to refuse a compromise. Yes, it’s progress, but should people really be told what is best for them in any large or small way when it comes to cannabis? Of course not. Legalization is inevitable if we refuse to compromise.
