Texas DPS Attempting to Sabotage State’s Medical Marijuana Program

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) wants to make a change to the medical marijuana law by increasing the fees for growers and dispensaries from $6,000 to $1.3 million.

In October, a proposal to raise the preset fee for dispensaries to $1.3 million was brought to light, reports Texas Public Radio. According to the Marijuana Policy Project’s (MPP) Executive Director, Heather Fazio, the increase as proposed would deem it nearly impossible for businesses to operate. It would also make it difficult for patients to have access to CBD oil.

Fazio said, “They’ve amended some of the rules, which have been rather alarming for those who are both interested in accessing this medicine and for those who are interested in opening up a cannabis business to provide the medicine for these patients.”

With increased fees comes increased prices for CBD oil, Fazio speculated. DPS is also considering rules requiring self-incrimination in saying where the marijuana seeds are coming from. Fazio argues that access to low-THC or CBD strain medical marijuana seeds aren’t accessible to them inside the borders of Texas. This requires an outside source, which is technically a federal crime.

Commentary will be accepted on the DPS’s proposed changes to the medical marijuana law until November 28. Thereafter, the proposal will be submitted to the Public Safety Commission for a vote on the proposed changes. The proposal also includes the suggestion for reducing the number of marijuana businesses permits to only 3, whereas it’s now set at 12. The deadline to finalize the rules is summer of 2017.