Texas AG Commissioner Says Medical Cannabis Reforms Would Pass If Bills Could Get to Floor

In an interview with Big Country Politics, Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller (R) said he believes that were comprehensive medical cannabis reforms to get a vote in the state legislature, they would get support from “70% to 80%” of lawmakers because “we have such good science on it.”  

“Now, it’s not speculation anymore. When we started with speculation, we thought, ‘Well, that’ll lead to recreational use or more drug use,’ but it’s not. It’s a plant derivative. Look. Medical marijuana is not nearly as addictive as some of the prescription drugs we use now. Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, Fentanyl, you know, all these narcotics that we prescribe. This is a plant-based drug that relieves pain and suffering, and we need… if it’ll help somebody and getting them help.” — Miller to Big Country Politics 

Miller, who last year penned an op-ed calling for the end of cannabis prohibition in the state and expansion of its medical cannabis program, added that he still does not support “full-fledged recreational use” of cannabis.  

“But I am for medical use for compassionate use for anything. We have so much good science now. And we know what diseases it can treat, yet our legislature picks winners [and] losers. If you’ve got this disease, you can get treated, if you got this disease, and cannabis will help if you can’t get treated,” he said in the interview. “So, we need to get out of that business. We need to let the doctor-patient relationship let those doctors make those medical decisions and not some bureaucrat or some politician.” 

Miller also noted that many of the state’s hemp producers are pivoting from CBD oil to fiber production, which he described as the “long-term place” for hemp. 

“…It fits traditional farming much better. It’s not as labor intensive. One farmer can grow a whole pivot of fiber hemp harvested just like we do, put it on a truck, and send it to the mail,” Miller explained. “What they do is they make fiber out of it, and not CBD. All that fiber has turned into over 2,000 products. They can be hempcrete building blocks; it can be rope, canvas, car interiors. The list goes on and on and on.”