Marijuana Yes, Abortion No: What’s Going On In Texas?

From Franca Quarneti via El Planteo

Texas, one of the most conservative states in the US, appears to be taking a step forward and two steps back when it comes to civil liberties; in this case marijuana and abortion.

On the one hand, the state is relaxing its cannabis policy, starting with legislative changes that allow more eligible patients to apply for a prescription for medical cannabis. In addition, a Texas court ruled unconstitutional a law banning hemp smoking.

Photo by Adam Thomas via Unsplash

Despite these more progressive policies, a nationwide law went into effect on Wednesday banning abortions after six weeks. It’s one of the strictest abortion laws in the United States, especially since most women don’t know they are pregnant for the first six weeks.

The new law allows citizens to report abortion providers and gives them a reward of at least $ 10,000 if the lawsuit is successful.

President Joe Biden called the law “extreme” and said it “blatantly violates” the constitutional right to abortion.

Now, more patients in Texas have access to medical marijuana

Thanks to changes in the law, patients with any type of cancer can now request a prescription for low-THC marijuana. Until recently, treatment was reserved for people with terminal cancer.

In addition, patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are now also eligible.

Photo by Bo Zaunders / Getty Images

“We still have a long way to go in Texas, but I think we can do much more to help Texans by expanding their ways of getting the drugs,” said Dr. Francisco Daniel Medrano of CannaMedRx, a medical cannabis clinic in Houston.

RELATED: Is Texas Ready to Become the Stoned Star State in 2021?

“We are very excited to be able to help Texans, especially our veterans with PTSD,” added Medrano in a comment recorded by Click 2 Houston.

Hemp smoking ban in Texas

Judge Livingston of the 261st Texas District Court found that the state “bans the processing or manufacture of a hemp consumable product for smoking” is against the state’s constitution.

Likewise, the implementing regulation banning the distribution and retail sale of smokable hemp was declared invalid by the judge.

RELATED: Texas Punishes People, Small Businesses For Their Hemp Shit

However, Livingston’s verdict did not include any reasoning for the verdict, so the State of Texas was able to appeal her decision.

As reported by JD Supra, this ruling could spark challenges to the ban on smokable hemp in other states such as Louisiana.