I received the following alert out of Texas, which is very encouraging, especially considering that reform in Texas can only come via legislative action (Texas has no citizen initiative process):
Over the weekend in Dallas, the Republican Party of Texas convened for their state convention where, among other business, delegates adopted a platform to express their position on various political issues.
With support from 78% of delegates, the following is now the official position of the Texas GOP: “We call upon the Texas Legislature to improve the 2015 Compassionate Use Act to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis to prescribed patients.”
Thanks to the work of dedicated Republican delegates who support marijuana law reform, the Texas GOP is now officially in support of medical marijuana!
Of course, this confirms what we already knew: Marijuana law reform is not a partisan issue. Texans of all political persuasions acknowledge that cannabis is medicine and support the reform of outdated policies. This move by Republican delegates affirms the integrity of the doctor/patient relationship by declaring that patients should have safe and legal access to medical cannabis if their doctors recommend it, consistent with another section of the platform which states, “Health care decisions…should be between a patient and health care professional and should be protected from government intrusion.”
While this new position does not change current state law, it does demonstrate that even the most conservative Texans agree: Cannabis should be accessible to patients. We can use this when discussing the issue with our legislators.
Please contact me if you’re interested in scheduling a meeting with your representative or senator to discuss marijuana law reform.
Heather Fazio
Texas Political Director
Marijuana Policy Project
