Austin TX Dispensary Opens
On February 8th, the state of Texas saw a first. Certain residents can now acquire legal cannabis at a brand new dispensary. Compassionate Cultivation is the first medical marijuana dispensary in Texas. Patients suffering from certain forms of epilepsy have long been awaited the day when they can legally purchase Cannabidiol oil.
Three years ago, Texan epileptics received the good news that they could now legally purchase Cannabidiol, or CBD. The previously illegal derivative of the marijuana plant was legalized only for those with certain medical conditions. Since 2015, those with qualifying conditions have been on pins and needles waiting for CBD to become available to them at a Texas dispensary.
Compassionate Cultivation Dispensary is the facility for which they have been waiting the last three years. Located in Manchaca, TX, a suburb of Austin, Compassionate Cultivation is now selling cannabis oil to patients with the right credentials. Not everyone who walks in off the street can acquire a bottle of the cannabis extraction.
The Compassionate Use Act, which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2015, clearly outlines who can get the CBD and under what circumstances. Patients suffering from epilepsy that is unresponsive to conventional treatments are cleared to purchase the cannabis oil available at Compassionate Cultivation.
Having an epilepsy diagnosis is not enough to get CBD. Patients must be referred by an approved doctor. At this time, there are only 17 physicians to recommend epileptic patients for a CBD prescription. The legislation specifies that all CBD oil must be low THC.
Even with the overly strict regulations set forth by the new law, patients suffering from incurable epilepsy are grateful for the opportunity to purchase a treatment with some promise of relief. Previously, the only option for patients seeking to relieve the symptoms of their epilepsy with CBD was to go an illegal route. Smuggling the oil over state borders had federal legal ramifications if the patient were caught. Those who didn’t have the means or desire to break the law were left suffering, which took a huge toll on their health and family.
Though they are grateful to have a legal option, getting oil is not as easy as running to the pharmacy for a prescription. The epileptic patients who are able to get approval from one of the 17 doctors who recommend CBD, must wait for their paperwork to be processed and entered into the system that lists them as one of the people approved to purchase cannabis oil. This can take some time. After they are entered into the database, they can pick up their oil from a Texas dispensary.
In addition to the Compassionate Cultivation Dispensary, there are an additional two dispensaries that are legally able to sell CBD oil. As of right now, neither of these dispensaries have the oil available, so those needing the oil must either make their way to Austin or pay extra for delivery. Compassionate Cultivation will deliver CBD to approved patients anywhere in the state of Texas for an additional fee of 25 dollars. Depending on which part of the state the patient lives in, this can be well worth the extra money.
Compassionate Cultivation already has customers eager to relieve the worst symptoms of their epilepsy. Epilepsy patients have been waiting years to try the oil that has helped so many in their shoes. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, there are 150,000 Texas residents that will be able to use CBD once they are approved by one of the 17 physicians.
The notoriously conservative Texas still has a long way to go with regards to opening the option to use medical marijuana for others who suffer from medical conditions benefited by the use of CBD. Governor Abbott is clear that he will be signing no new bills that ease marijuana restrictions even for medical use. Police officers side with the governor in remaining adamant that sales of marijuana products are not a good idea. Other lawmakers have different views and may try to pass laws that will include more medical conditions in the first bill.
Additional research and the commencement of the 2019 legislative session will be determining factors in the loosening of restrictions. Until then, qualifying epilepsy patients can pick up their Charlotte’s web blend of CBD oil at Compassionate Cultivation.
