Texas to soon remove hemp from controlled substance list

DALLAS — Texas is planning to eliminate hemp from its list of controlled substances.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the Texas Department of State Health Services will on Friday remove hemp from a list of Schedule I drugs that can be abused and have no authorized medical use. Other Schedule I drugs include LSD, heroin and cocaine.

Hemp and marijuana are derived from the cannabis plant, but hemp has low levels of THC, the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana users a high.

Some legal experts say declassifying hemp doesn’t clear up the legality of hemp products currently sold in Texas, such as pain creams and oils. Advocates say this is a progressive step that highlights the validity of those products.

State lawmakers are discussing several cannabis-related proposals on Monday.

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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com