Marijuana legalization advocacy group speaks out

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• published: 29 Jun 2015
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BEAUMONT- by Haley BullThis year for the first time in recent history bills to legalize and decriminalize marijuana and a medical marijuana bill have all made it out of committees, but for one Southeast Texas man, the debate isn't in Austin but in Beaumont.In just a few months Jeremy Bourque says he'll be at the Jefferson County Courthouse ready to go to trial on a felony drug possession charge. The 38-year old has grown and used marijuana for years to treat his epilepsy. The legal battle he faces, he called a life or death situation."In the 20 years since I've been doing it, it's never done anything but help me stay alive," Bourque said.He attributes being alive, having fewer seizures and fewer hospital stays to using medicinal marijuana."In the year and a half that I've been removed from my way of treatment I've been in the hospital more than 10 times, I can say for sure, in one year compared to twice in 20 years," he said.But Bourque's use and growth of the plants to treat his epilepsy landed him in the Jefferson County Courthouse on a felony charge facing a summer court date."Really nothing should stand in the way of somebody that can use something like that for the notion of wanting to stay alive," Bourque said.The Texas Senate passed a bill last week that allows doctors to prescribe low THC cannabis for certain patients. Bourque said it wouldn't help him."It is basically one of those things that says okay we'll take care of these people but the rest of you, sorry about your luck," Jason Falconbridge said.Falconbridge and Corey Mendes lead the advocacy group Southeast Texas Norml. It supports full legalization of marijuana. The group is planning to rally in support of Bourque now that they're home from a pro-marijuana march in Austin last weekend."We don't want that to be the only legislation that's pro-cannabis that passes," Mendes said.The two said they want the Texas legislature to approve bills that would decriminalize and repeal offenses involving marijuana. Both bills have made it out of house committees."We want full legalization, we want full plant cannabis," Falconbridge said.The group said it's not about getting high, and for Bourque, it's simply a matter of health."You go to Austin, you do the work, you talk to people, they even get tears in their eyes, tell you they're behind you one hundred percent, we're gonna do what we can, but when it comes up, they don't do the work, they vote against it," Bourque said. "It's just, I mean it's hard to understand how that works. It's really disheartening when it's a life or death situation."According to reports, the Texas Sheriff's Association has spoken out against decriminalization and legalization efforts.