LUBBOCK, Texas -
Texas Republicans united last week to call upon the legislature to improve the 2015 Compassionate Use Act, to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis to patients.
While the language of the party's platform is far from legally binding, Heather Fazio with the Marijuana Policy Project says it's a step in the right direction.
"That's what this plank within the Republican platform did, was allow for legislators to know that the grass roots within the Republican party is in favor of doctors making the distinction between which patients deserve access, rather than legislators," Fazio said. "There's no shortage of enthusiasm among the grass roots and time and again the polling shows that Texans across the board, regardless of political persuasion, are in favor of reform and that's exactly what we saw reiterated at GOP convention last weekend."
Last year Gov. Abbott signed the Compassionate Use Bill, allowing patients suffering from intractable epilepsy to use low THC cannabis oil.
Fazio says the bill leaves those with other forms of debilitating diseases out.
