Bill to Legalize Marijuana Derived Oil Approved
By Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, Staff Writer - San Antonio Express News
Lawmakers in the Texas House passed a Senate bill on Monday that would legalize cannabidiol oil, or CBD oil, a compound derived from marijuana that seems to help people whose epileptic seizures are uncontrolled by traditional medication.
The so-called Texas Compassionate Use Act passed 96 to 34. It’s already passed the Senate, 26 to 5, and now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott. Because he has said no marijuana-related legislation will become law this session, the CBD oil bill could face a veto.
Nearly 150,000 residents of Texas suffer from intractable and sometimes fatal seizures, studies show. Parents from across the state, who hope CBD oil will bring their children’s intractable epilepsy under control, were ecstatic over the bill’s passage in the House.
“This give me hope,” said Leslie Moccia of San Antonio, whose son Zachariah, 25, has Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy. “This give us another treatment option. This is also a huge step for Texas, and a huge step for the nation. They say as Texas goes, so goes the nation.”
Liz Tullis, who joined Moccia and other parents in the gallery to watch the floor debate, said she was relieved the vote went the way that it did.
“I’m feeling proud to be a Texan,” said Tullis, whose son Conrad, 12, has a severe brain injury. “We did it.”
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