Dozens of Texas mothers from all across the state with seriously ill children will be coming together in the state capitol to call for passage of legislation that will help reduce their children’s suffering.
AUSTIN —(ENEWSPF)—March 26, 2015. A new statewide network of Texas moms and caregivers will be coming together on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in the Committee Hearing Room E1.026 to lobby in support of legislation addressing access to medical marijuana.
Twenty-three states, one U.S. territory (Guam) and the District of Columbia have passed laws legalizing the use of marijuana for qualifying patients under state law. Rep. Marisa Márquez, D-El Paso, the House sponsor of Texas’ first ever comprehensive medical marijuana legislation, HB 3785, says “as a state that leads the nation in innovative medical research, Texas needs to take a scientific and reasoned approach to the known benefits of medical marijuana.”
Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, who introduced a companion bill in the Senate believes that “these mothers are doing what any parent would be doing – advocating for safe medicine and relief for their suffering children. We have to stop criminalizing being a mother and help them gain access to effective treatment.”
Two additional bills have also been filed in the legislature this session, one specific to sufferers of epilepsy and another that would give medical marijuana patients an affirmative defense in court should they be arrested on charges of marijuana possession. The mothers will be lobbying in support of a solution to the endless suffering their children endure.
“Every day that Texas moms care for children living with cancer, epilepsy, autism, and other debilitating conditions without access to medical marijuana, is a day of added suffering,” says AmyLou Fawell, Co-Founder of MAMMA. “Today we call on our legislators to help bring relief to our kids.”
Attending today’s event will be Rep. Marisa Márquez, Rep. Elliot Naishtat, Senator Jose Menéndez Mothers Advocating for Medical Marijuana for Autism, Texans for Medical Freedom, Patient Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics, Texas Coalition for Compassionate Care, Austin Epilepsy Support Group and dozens of mothers and caregivers in support of medical marijuana legislation.
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Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism seeks to educate autism and special needs families about the healing power of therapeutic cannabis as it applies to peoples of all disabilities.
http://texasmamma.org/index.php/about-mamma
Texans for Medical Freedom is coalition of advocates and organizations seeking to pass legislation that would allow physicians to certify that those with serious and debilitating illnesses have access to medical marijuana. http://www.TexansForMedicalFreedom.org
Source: www.drugpolicy.org
