Texas Senate Recognizes the Dangers Marijuana Poses to Public Health and Safety
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2023 | Media Contact: Bob Driscoll bob@learnaboutsam.org 716-307-7406 |
(AUSTIN, TX) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy advisor to the Obama, Bush and Clinton administrations, released the following statement today in response to the Texas Legislature’s session concluding without action on legislation that would legalize and commercialize so-called “medical marijuana” thereby opening the state to the addiction-for-profit industry:
“Texans have been spared the predatory and dangerous marijuana industry for another two years. State Senate leaders looked at the data, science and public response from people across the state, and killed legislation that would have opened the flood gates to Big Marijuana and the latest addiction-for-profit industry. Medical associations and the federal government have long made clear that marijuana has ‘a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in the United States.’ Thankfully, Texas has followed this fact-based approach to public health policy.
“Big Marijuana has tried to convince naïve politicians that dangerous THC-products are a miracle drug, but the truth is today’s high-potency marijuana products are associated with increased depression, suicidality, IQ loss, psychosis and schizophrenia, especially for young people. Texas legislators were also smart enough to see through the ruse of “medical” marijuana that has been a gateway to full commercialization everywhere it has been passed.”
Sabet was joined by several local advocates who also lauded the move by State Senate leaders in Austin.
Texas Eagles Forum President Cindi Castilla said, “Texas Eagle Forum is thrilled that HB 1805 died in the Texas Senate. This bill had no upper limit on the amount of THC that could be prescribed to a patient as a single dose and no daily, weekly, or monthly limits on how much a user could put into their body. It is a joke that the bill and current laws use the words ‘low THC’ when referring to a dosing unit of 10 milligrams. Additionally, HB 1805 added chronic pain and debilitating medical conditions to the list of qualifying diagnoses, opening our state to marijuana-focused pain clinics which would create more addicts, homelessness, and mental health patients among other negative outcomes. TEF also took issue with HB 1805 giving our Texas State Board of Health the freedom to add additional conditions as qualifying for the use of THC. We would always prefer that elected officials remain responsible for any havoc they create for Texans.”