FORT WORTH, Texas–The Temporary Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) today passed an amendment to the Healthcare and Nutritional Supplements plank of the proposed 2014 RPT Platform that would allow Texas doctors to prescribe marijuana as a controlled narcotic. The plank will now move to a vote by the permanent platform committee, then, if it passes, to the body of the RPT convention.

Temporary Platform Committee Chairman Tom Mechler broke a tie vote on the amendment to the plank. The amendment reads, “We believe that Texans should have legal access to cannabis as a controlled narcotic prescribed by a physician.” The amendment was proposed by Danny Pelton representing Senate District 30.

After an emotional debate from those for and against the amendment, the amendment narrowly passed.

Zoe Russell, Assistant Executive Director for RAMP (Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition) responded to the vote in an interview with Breitbart Texas. “Our belief is that the doctor-patient relationship should be private,” Russell said, “and if marijuana can be palliative it should be allowed to be prescribed.”

Russell said the vote by this conservative committee shows this to be a conservative principle regarding liberty and medical privacy.

Many of those testifying in support of the amendment expressed very personal stories about family members who either have been or would have been helped by medical marijuana. Those opposed to the amendment expressed concern about Texas following the pathway of California and Colorado where marijuana for purely medical purposes soon gave way to the legal use of recreational marijuana.

Bob Price is a staff writer and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.