With Texas mere weeks away from medical marijuana, there are a few things to know about the new program, starting with its one qualifying condition: intractable epilepsy. No other conditions are allowed for now, though theoretically legislation could be passed later. Texans are just grateful that people suffering will soon find relief.
For its restrictions, it’s still a progressive law in that patients of any age will have access to the high-CBD, low-THC plant extract. The high levels of CBD are especially effective at treating seizure disorder, so this will be a blessing to the 150,000+ patients who are eligible.
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Related Story: Texas Just Issued Its First Medical Marijuana License
It will also be a relief. It’s been two years since cannabis was legalized for epilepsy patients and now Texas has licensed Knox Medical, originally out of Florida, to dispense the cannabis medicine.
Bruce Knox is the company’s COO and started the company from his late parents’ nursery business and by teaming up with Cansortium Holdings. According to Dallas Fort Worth CBS Local, Knox recalled, “I was fortunate enough to go ask my dad about two weeks before he passed what he thought about this. He said that I never thought that it should be illegal.”
They also asked Knox CEO and founder Jose Hidalgo why he wanted to expand from Florida to Texas. He answered that he saw cannabis as the future of medicine and that there are millions and millions of people who could potentially benefit from it.
He also said that Texas and Florida are similar in some ways, especially with their conservative politics. Plus, when they legalized medical cannabis, both states went the non-smoking route and the low-THC route.
Like Texas, Florida started with very limited conditions as well: seizure disorder and cancer. Now they allow doctors to recommend the plant for around a dozen ailments. Texas could eventually go down the same road, but for now, at least a good 150K people who really need access to cannabis will have it.
The plants are growing and patients are readying themselves for the program’s official launch. Doctor prescriptions can’t start until sales do, but sales should be at the ready in December.
