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Texas Marijuana Advocates Urge Legislatures to Hurry up

TX Dispensary

There are three medical marijuana bills currently stalled in the Texas House and State committees. Advocates are telling legislators to “get moving” on the bills. Residents are having to travel out-of-state to get relief from serious and/or terminal illnesses.

One perspective patient, Cherie Rineker, went to Colorado to relieve symptoms of terminal cancer, My San Antonio reports. She traveled to Colorado to give medical marijuana a try, and had relief from her pain for a couple of days. When she returned home, her nausea was not controlled by prescribed anti-nausea medication, so she had to call an ambulance to get help.

Rineker said, “I decided to leave my husband and daughter for two months to give cannabis a try outside the state of Texas. I never once had to reach for my opioids.”

Rineker, along with other advocates, wants to see Senate Bill 269 pass. She wants to see her daughter graduate high school.

Reverend Rick Sitton of First United Methodist Church wants medical marijuana legislation to pass so that children, like his grandson, can have access to medicine that works.

Reverend Sitton said, “Being pro-life means you’re pro all of life. We need them to hear us. They need to schedule a hearing on this. I know (lawmakers) care about people, I just don’t think they’re aware.”

House Bill 2107 and Senate Bill 269 have not received hearings and medical marijuana advocates want those hearings scheduled.

House Bill 81 is in the hands of the full House and may receive a vote. A hearing was held on House Bill 2200 to protect patients using marijuana from prosecution hasn’t seen any action either.

Mark Zartler, whose daughter requires medical marijuana to stop her self-harming episodes, supports House Bill 2200. Right now, he’s breaking the law to treat his daughter with the only medicine that’s proven to work.

Zartler said, “I can’t stop. I can’t let her hit herself. Everyone tells me that we should just move…Now that all these people saw the video and have seen the treatment, they’re going to move forward to help their children.”