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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich plants (CRP) are |
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recognized as important components in treatment for countless |
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patients; however, these substances have been banned at the federal |
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level by the Controlled Substances Act because they are included |
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under the definition of "marijuana"; and |
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WHEREAS, Cannabidiol is a substance derived from Cannabis |
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sativa L., a CRP with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of |
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not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 84th Texas Legislature, Senate Bill 339, |
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which allowed physicians to prescribe low-THC cannabis to patients |
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diagnosed with intractable epilepsy, was signed into law by |
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Governor Greg Abbott, who at the time emphasized that low-THC |
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cannabis does not produce the high associated with smoking |
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marijuana and that permitting the substance should not be viewed as |
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a precursor to a broader legalization of marijuana; the bill, |
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commonly known as the "Texas Compassionate Use Act," noted that the |
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administration of cannabidiol by means other than smoking has been |
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the only successful treatment of seizures for many patients with |
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epilepsy; and |
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WHEREAS, While marijuana is prohibited under the Controlled |
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Substances Act, evidence suggests that using an extract of |
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cannabidiol from CRPs is a remarkably safe option in providing |
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relief for individuals afflicted by seizures caused by epilepsy; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to |
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amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude cannabidiol and |
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cannabidiol-rich plants from the definition of "marijuana"; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the house forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |