The Texas House Public Health Committee on Monday heard hearings on a bill that would expand the state’s medical cannabis program, FOX 44 reports. The measure would allow access to products with THC levels as high as 5%. Under current law, patients can only access low-THC products with THC concentrations up to 1%.
The measure is, in part, meant to reign in the proliferation of hemp-derived THC products, such as delta-8, which some medical cannabis consumers are relying on because of the low THC limits in the state’s medical cannabis program. Delta-8 THC products are unregulated in the state, while delta-9 products are on the state’s controlled substance schedule.
David Urbanowicz, vice president of external affairs for seed-to-sale tracking company Metrc, told FOX 44 that “there’s no safeguard in place” for delta-8 products.
“What we’re talking about with the medical program is Delta-9, and that is all very heavily regulated. Typically, states will require third party tests. It has to pass those tests in order to wait for it to reach the consumer. So again, that is much, much safer, much more well regulated typically.” — Urbanowicz to FOX 44
The bill was left pending in the committee on Monday. The bill has an identical companion in the Senate; however, that measure has not been sent to any of the chamber’s committees.
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