Beaumont — There's a hot new topic at Lamar University, the campus is introducing a new class on cannabis this fall.
"We've seen my mom go through hell and back so it's amazing to see what a plant can do for a human being," Tabitha Samuels says, student at Lamar University.
In addition to juggling classes, Samuels is also helping her mother recover from Leukemia.
"Doctors said she needed cannabis oil to reduce the size of her spleen, she started taking it and her spleen immediately started shrinking," Samuels says.
This year, Samuels will have the opportunity to study the plant that she says has helped her mother recover.
"Just like any other medicine you would want to learn about, that's what we're doing here," says Dr. Margot Gage, who will be teaching the course this fall.
Dr. Gage says she will be teaching students just about everything they need to know about marijuana.
"I think it's important to educate neutrally," Dr. Gage says.
"Whatever your view is, you want everyone to feel welcomed and to know that we're just looking at the facts, it's something that can't be denied," she explains.
The class is called 'Marijuana and Medicine,' and it will focus on the history of cannabis, it's legality, economic impact and medicinal benefits.
"We're putting on the white gloves and looking at marijuana under the microscope in this course," Dr. Gage says.
"I don't encourage it for fun, but I definitely believe in the miracles of medical marijuana for sure," says Samuels.
A miracle which Samuels will vouch for and is excited to learn more about.
"If [my mom] wouldn't have done it, she would still be fighting cancer today," Samuels says.
Other Texas campuses that offer such a course on cannabis include the University of Texas in Austin, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, Texas Tech, and Texas State University.
Any student enrolled at Lamar University will be able to take this class as an upper class elective.
Dr. Gage says enrollment sky rocketed on the first 24 hours of open enrollment.