The following is a press release from the office of State Senator Donna Campbell:
State Senator Donna Campbell, an emergency room physician from New Braunfels, filed SB 2416 on Friday, seeking to expand the Compassionate Use Act and provide greater patient access to medical cannabis oil.
“This is about recognizing the medical data that exists and providing relief for patients who have had to seek treatment elsewhere because the law we passed four years ago has been too restrictive,” Senator Campbell said. “By lifting unnecessary restrictions, patients who are suffering will have greater access to medically supervised care using prescribed cannabis oil.”
SB 2416 would expand the current law established in 2015 to allow any physician in the state who chooses to participate in the Compassionate Use Registry to prescribe medical cannabis oil so long as the amount of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, remains less than one percent. The bill would also establish an Institutional Review Board to approve and oversee research of low-THC cannabis oil for medical purposes.
“Government doesn’t need to be in the business of determining which patients are suffering enough to be eligible for treatments. These health care decisions should be between the patient and their doctor,” said Senator Campbell. “For a physician, it is always concerning to have bureaucrats telling us what is in a patient’s best interest. SB 2416 eliminates government interference without removing necessary oversight.”
The Texas Compassionate Use Registry was established by Senate Bill 339 during the 84th Legislature. Senator Campbell voted for that bill both in committee and on the senate floor.
(Press release from office of State Senator Donna Campbell)
