Medical marijuana program in Texas set to expand Wednesday

HOUSTON – Soon, more patients will be eligible for medical marijuana in Texas.

The legislative changes that come into effect on Wednesday will allow cancer patients to obtain a prescription for low-THC cannabis. It used to be limited to people with terminal cancer.

The amended law also makes eligible patients struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

“We’re just excited to be able to help Texans, especially with PTSD and our veterans,” said Dr. Francisco Daniel Medrano, Co-Owner and Medical Director of CannaMedRx.

CannaMedRx is a medical cannabis clinic in Houston. The clinic said its first patient, scheduled for Wednesday, was a veteran of the war in Iraq.

“We have a receptionist who takes our calls, and there are many, many more calling specifically for PTSD,” Medrano said.

Clinic co-founder Melissa Trevino described the proliferation of medical marijuana as groundbreaking.

“There are a lot of veterans who have been waiting for this,” said Trevino. “PTSD not only covers veterans, it also covers other aspects.”

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The clinic said the products could range from gummy bears to a cream or oil, but they are not smokable. The state is also raising the THC limit from 0.5 percent to one percent.

Medrano is happy with the changes but said proponents had hoped for more.

“We still have a long way to go in Texas, but I think we can do much more to help Texans by expanding their opportunities to get medicines and various products,” he said.