A few weeks ago, I had the chance to talk with Halle Tarvin, a PhD candidate in cultural anthropology at SMU whose work focuses on how people with mental health conditions use psychoactive plants as therapeutic tools. She's involved in academic research, currently working on an NIMH-funded project on early psychosis and substance use, and also plays a key role in cannabis advocacy as the Director of Research and Analysis for the Texas Cannabis Collective. I reached out to her because she sits right at the intersection of science, policy, and lived experience, and I wanted to explore how cannabis use, mental health, and legislation collide, especially here in Texas. This conversation opened up a lot of necessary questions about stigma, education, and where we go from here.

Download The Advanced Cannabis User’s Guide to Healthy Consumption, written by Halle and her colleagues:

https://linktr.ee/halletarvin?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Erowid is an online library of user experiences and research-based information on psychoactive substances focused on education and harm reduction.

Erowid

Sources:

Texas Cannabis Policy Center. “Texas House Public Affairs Committee Hearing on Chairman Ken King’s HB 46 - 89TxLege.” YouTube, 17 Apr. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGCfMAQRZ54. Accessed 5 May 2025.

Russo, E., Cuttler, C., et al. (2024). Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, field trial. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66879-0