Texas’ first medical marijuana dispensary celebrates 6 years this October

This month, the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary will celebrate six years of serving the Lone Star State.

Texas Original planted its first cannabis seeds on October 31, 2017, at its facility in South Austin, and has since helped bring medical marijuana to thousands of Texans.

Texas Original opened the first medical marijuana dispensary in Texas in 2018, paving the way for thousands of Texans to legally access this medicine. Now, just six years later, the state’s Compassionate Use Program has become far more accessible for millions of Texans.

So what exactly is the Compassionate Use Program, and how can Texans get medical marijuana? The process is easier than you think.

Legal medical marijuana in Texas
The Texas Compassionate Use Program was signed into law in June 2015, originally allowing medical marijuana treatment only for patients with intractable epilepsy.

Since then, the program has expanded several times and now covers more than 150 qualifying conditions, including:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Spasticity (muscle spasms)
• Cancer
• Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
• Peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain)
• Alzheimer’s and other dementias
• Parkinson’s
• Autism
• Multiple sclerosis
• ALS
• And over 150 neurodegenerative conditions

In addition to covering over 150 qualifying medical conditions, the state also increased the THC limit in 2021. This raised THC cap means that Texans can now legally access regulated, medical-grade cannabis products at practical therapeutic doses.

How to get a prescription
Millions of Texans qualify for medical marijuana, and getting a prescription can be completed in a few steps.

First, find out if you qualify by scheduling an appointment with a doctor registered in the Compassionate Use Program.

Several registered doctors offer convenient virtual appointments through telemedicine practices so patients can meet with the doctor from anywhere in Texas. To set your appointment, visit Texas Original’s website and fill out the form.

Next, meet with the doctor. During your appointment, the doctor will review your medical records and confirm if you are eligible for medical cannabis, then discuss your treatment plan.

Once approved, your doctor will add your prescription to the online medical cannabis registry, where it can be accessed by licensed dispensaries.

After your appointment, it’s time to place an order. Visit Texas Original’s website or call 512-614-0343 to place your first order.

Texas Original offers the state’s leading medical-grade cannabis products, including Texas’ first fast-acting medical cannabis gummies.

You can consume medical marijuana in gummie form.Photo courtesy of Texas Original

So what’s the difference between medical marijuana and hemp?
Some Texans might be wondering why they should bother with obtaining a medical marijuana prescription, given the wide availability of hemp-derived Delta-8 and Delta-9 products at gas stations, smoke shops, CBD stores, and online.

With fewer regulations, some over-the-counter hemp products pose risks for consumers due to inconsistent potency, purity, and processing methods.

Newer products like Delta-8 are often synthesized by dissolving CBD in solvents that can pose additional risks to consumers without adequate testing or regulations.

In contrast, medical marijuana products are stringently regulated under the state’s Compassionate Use Program.

All medical-grade products are rigorously tested to ensure quality, purity and consistency. Medical marijuana products are also produced locally in Texas, where the quality of medicine is maintained and tested from seed to sale.

Texans can learn more about the Compassionate Use Program and get a medical marijuana prescription here.