Medical Marijuana in GOP Platform

AUSTIN — A bold amendment to the Texas GOP platform seems to put Governor Abbott at odds with the delegates over marijuana — an issue that put Longview state Representative David Simpson (pictured) in the spotlight last year. Abbott signed legislation making the marijuana extract CBD oil legal for epilepsy patients. But he added that Texas should not “open the door for conventional marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes.” Now Republican delegates have voted to allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana as part of their 2016 platform. Ann Lee founded Republicans against Marijuana Prohibition. She says, “All we did in the platform, we gave the doctors a little bit more leeway.” Simpson, also a Republican, had similar legislation rejected last session. Simpson, now running for the Texas Senate, has said, “I’ll continue to advocate for medical freedom and getting politicians out of the way.”