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32 Results
Marijuana bud next to a gavel
Marijuana as Medicine
By providing regulated and safe access to medical cannabis to people with demonstrated need, the Texas Legislature can provide justified relief, help reduce the opioid epidemic, and save Texas millions of dollars, write the authors.
William Martin, Katharine Neill Harris April 15, 2019
Vaccine
Scientific Misconceptions and Myths Perpetuated in the 2017 Texas Legislative Session
By Kirstin R.W. Matthews and Melody T. Tan Vaccines and vaccine exemptions are increasingly contentious issues in Texas. In this issue brief, the authors dispel five common misconceptions about vaccines that were presented during public hearings at the Texas House of Representatives in 2017.
Melody Tan, Kirstin R.W. Matthews October 23, 2018
A woman receives a vaccine in her left arm.
Medical Freedom, Privacy, and Fear of Discrimination: The 2017 Texas Legislative Session Anti-vaccine Arguments
In this brief, the authors analyze transcripts from public hearrings at the Texas legislature to identify key arguments against school-mandated vaccinations. To ensure public health, policymakers and other stakeholders should be well informed about vaccines, the impact of vaccine-preventable disease, and the risks associated with putting absolute individual rights above public health concerns, they conclude.
Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Melody Tan October 22, 2018
A woman receives a vaccine in her left arm.
How Too Much Freedom of Choice Endangers Public Health: The Effect of Nonmedical Exemptions From School-entry Vaccinations in Texas
This policy brief analyzes the impact of the increasing number of parents who opt their children out of school-entry vaccinations for nonmedical reasons in Texas and argues that the state should make obtaining nonmedical exemptions more rigorous in order to reduce the public health risks and costs associated with vaccine-preventable diseases.
Jackie Olive, Kirstin R.W. Matthews October 13, 2016