Texas Health Dept. Holding Hearing About Medical Marijuana on May 2

The Texas House Committee on Public Health is holding an important hearing regarding HB 2107 May 2 at 3 p.m. The hearing will be in room E2.012 at the Texas State Capitol. Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy will gather before the event outside of the hearing room.

Veterans, patients, caregivers, advocates and medical professionals are expected to testify with the coalition’s leaders, according to Texas Marijuana Policy. Several families who’ve moved out of Texas to seek treatment for their children will also testify.

Hb2107 highlights:

• Increase qualifying conditions list
• Require official recommendation from primary physicians
• Increase variety of medical marijuana products available
• Remove doctor “prescription” requirement from law

Those testifying include:

• David Bass – veteran
• Amanda Beard – veteran with PTSD and vocational nurse
• Byron Adinoff – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Division on Addictions
• Keith Crook – registered nurse and veteran
• John Delaney – retired Texas District Court judge
• Amy Fawell – mother of autistic child
• Terri Carriker – mother of epileptic child
• Rebecca Harmon – relocated out of state to treat epileptic child
• Elias Jackson – research scientist
• Natasha Harper-Madison – cancer survivor
• Robert Marks – pain management doctor
• Glen and Tajh Mayes – relocated to treat epileptic son
• Michelle Walker – relocated to treat autistic child
• Mark and Christy Zartler – treat daughter for autism and cerebral palsy with medical marijuana
• Jokubas Ziburkus – neuroscientist

Other advocates, patients and parents of children with debilitating conditions will also testify.

Those interested in supporting HB 2107 can do so beginning at 8 a.m. Signatures of support will be taken until the hearing is over.