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BEAUMONT- by Haley Bull

The Governor's signature on a bill allowing patients with a certain form of epilepsy to find treatment by using cannabis oil is drawing both praise and criticism. While supporters argue it will help thousands of patients, others argue it doesn't cover enough. One Beaumont woman said it leaves her having to make a difficult decision.

"I have my kids to live for, you know. I'm young, I don't want to die right now, but I face that reality if I don't take this medicine," the 38-year old who asked to not be identified said.

She said she is battling incurable leukemia, but her fight to live isn't ending with her diagnosis.

"I use a form of medical marijuana called cannabis oil, it's a full extraction oil," she said.

The woman credits cannabis oil with giving her hope.

"Within a couple months I was out of the wheelchair and off the walker and I'm in high heels today," she said.

Her case is not included in a new bill the Texas legislature passed and Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Monday.

"It will however provide healing and hope for children who are afflicted by unrelenting seizures caused by epilepsy so I am honored to sign SB339 into law," he said during the bill's signing.

It allows patients with intractable epilepsy to use CBD oil, a certain component found in marijuana. According to the governor's office, nearly 150,000 people in the state suffer from the condition. Under the law, two certified specialists have to approve the drug for the patient. The Department of Public Safety will regulate entities that manufacture and dispense the medicine.

"This bill does very little for most of the patients in Texas that can benefit from medicinal cannabis," Corey Mendes said. "But what it does do and what we're happy about is it recognizes cannabis as having medicinal properties by law and that's a first in Texas."

Mendes is the deputy director of Southeast Texas Norml, a group pushing for the full legalization of marijuana it Texas. He said the group will continue campaigning.

According to media reports, the governor said he believes Texas should not legalize marijuana or allow conventional marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes.

Some medical marijuana patients argue it leaves them left to make a difficult decision.

"I'm having to really consider if I'm gonna move out of the state because I can't get the help that I need here without taking the risks and I mean if I'm cured and in jail, it's not gonna do me any good," the woman said.