The Texas DPS Public Safety Commission took action Thursday to expand its Compassionate Use Program so that it can accommodate a growing number of Texas patients who want to access medical cannabis.
The Compassionate Use Act was originally passed by the Texas legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015 to allow doctors to prescribe THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) products to patients with epilepsy. Since then, the original bill has expanded to allow patients with other medical conditions – such as post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer — into the medical marijuana program.
“For the last 18 months, we have seen a significant increase in the growth of patients within the program, approximately averaging about a 10% month-over-month growth,” Chief Wayne Mueller of the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
In the next 18 to 24 months, there will likely be 100,000 patients in Texas using medical cannabis, Mueller said.
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