Amarillo Leads the Way for Medical Marijuana in Texas

Tim Stevens, a 53 yearold man, who suffers from cyclical vomitting, was acquitted by an Amarillo jury this week in Texas. Mr. Stevens had less than four grams of marijuana in his possession. The jury found him not guilty based on a medical necessity defense. The U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers Club held that the medical necessity defense did not apply to the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). Marijuana remains a schedule I drug, meaning it is erroneously determined, based on junk science, to be addictive and provide no medical benefits. Despite pot, for now, being a schedule I drug and the CSA, Mr. Stevens was still able to successfully use the medical necessity defense.

Mr. Stevens said he will try Marinol. Marinol is a chemically produced pharmaceutical but, government approved marijuana substitute. Patients who have used this substitute for pot have complained about the side effects and its lack of efficacy. I am sure many New Jersey Senators would disagree with this finding by the patients who actually use cannabis to alleviate their suffering from a milieu of illnesses especially since the good Senator of New Jersey has received over $890 million in donations from pharmaceutical companies over the more recent campaign periods. To be even more specific, over $4 million from pharmaceutical companies was given to the full House Committee on Energy and Commerce republican members alone. For instance, ranking republican member for the Energy and Commerce Committee's sub-committee on Health, Nathan Deal receives on average over $275K from pharmaceutical companies to his campaign as does sub-committee member Mike Ferguson who is averaging over $855K in pharmaceutical company contributions to his campaign (the good Senator from New Jersey), while ex officio member to the sub-committee on Health, Joe Barton is receiving nearly $200K from pharmaceutical companies for his campaign.

These contributions do not include Hospital contributions, nor does it include contributions from Individual Doctors or Insurance Companies.

So much is given to the New Jersey Senator because that is where all the pharmaceutical companies live. But, I digress....

It will be interesting to see where Texas goes with this decision. Let's hope Texas is next in line for a Compassionate Use Act of its own, similar to California's. If Texas could approve medical cannabis it would become the eleventh state to do so. The ten other states to legalize and/or decriminalize the use of medical marijuana are as follows : Hawaii, Maine, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Maryland. These states have all passed reformation of marijuana laws through ballot initiatives. Texas is not a ballot initiative state and therefore reform must come through the legislature. Call your legislator today! Ask your legislator to seriously consider decriminalizing medical marijuana and tell your legislator about an experience you have had where you have witnessed the benefits of marijuana.