The Texas House of Representatives this week passed three cannabis reform bills that if passed into law would decriminalize low-level possession, reduce penalties for possession of cannabis concentrates and would expand access to medical cannabis.
The medical cannabis bill – HB 1535 – would greatly expand the number of Texans who would have access to medical marijuana by adding the following approved patient conditions: PTSD, chronic pain, debilitating conditions and cancer. Additionally, the bill would increase the limit for THC in prescribed medication from 0.5% to 5%, expanding the number of possible prescribed applications. Finally, the Department of State Health Services would also be allowed to add additional conditions to the list in the future if the bill should become law. The bill passed in the Texas House by a 132-12 vote.
If the bill passes it will have an enormous impact on tens of thousands of Texans as well as the physicians who are approved to prescribe medical cannabis in the state. One such physician is McCathern client Dr. Christopher Chun of Dallas, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist.
Dr. Chun and his business Lone Star Cannabis Clinic were recently featured in an article in D Magazine, “Dallas’ First Medical Marijuana Clinic is Now Open”. NBC 5 DFW also quoted Dr. Chun in their story this week on the passage of HB 1535 in the Texas House.
McCathern is a leader in Cannabis Law and represents local, national and international businesses involved in this rapidly changing industry. We will continue to monitor local, state, and federal legislation developments, such as HB 1535, that could have significant effects on our clients and their businesses. For more information on the current state of cannabis law, please consult with McCathern Managing Partner Arnold Shokouhi at our Dallas office or Partner Christopher Barkley of our Los Angeles office.