“I was shocked at the amount of patients that are registered as opposed to physicians that are registered as well. There was a great divide,” said Dr. Christopher Chun, a physician based in Dallas.
Dr. Chun was recently approved to prescribe medical marijuana and in April, and opened Lonestar Cannabis Clinic, which is believed to be the first clinic in North Texas dedicated to evaluating patients for medical marijuana use.
“It’s really about helping patients and that s always been my focus,” Dr. Chun said.
In Texas, patients must have a qualifying condition to legally get medical marijuana. The conditions include epilepsy, a seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, terminal cancer, or an incurable neurodegenerative disease.
With investors and - possibly - legislators on board, Texas cannabis industry poised for growth
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William “Beau” Wrigley Jr., an heir to the Wrigley chewing gum company and its former chairman, president and CEO, is now CEO of goodblend Texas formerly Surterra Wellness a Georgia company that is one of three companies licensed to cultivate and sell medical cannabis in Texas.Surterra WellnessShow MoreShow Less
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THC capsules resembling a typical pill are available for medical marijuana patients to use. These capsules are sold under the Surterra Wellness brand, which parent company Parallel recently changed to the goodblend Texas brand.ParallelShow MoreShow Less
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Last week, the Texas State House of Representatives passed House Bill 1535 to expand permissive medical use of low-THC cannabis by patients with a medical condition approved by the Health and Human Services Commission. The bill would broaden the State’s medicinal cannabis program, or the Compassionate Use Program.
This is a small step, but any steps forward in Texas should be applauded. There are only approximately 5,000 patients currently registered in the Compassionate Use Program (out of a population of nearly 29 million), and only three cannabis businesses are licensed in the state. House Bill 1535 will likely increase both numbers, as well as the relief available to Texas patients.
/ Michael Rubin, Director at Compassionate Cultivation, a home-grown medical cannabis company serving patients throughout Texas.
The Texas House gave approval on Thursday to a bill that would expand the state’s medical cannabis program to include those with chronic pain, all cancer patients and Texans suffering from PTSD.
House Bill 1535, by Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, who authored the bill establishing Texas’ initial medical cannabis program in 2015, would also authorize the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying conditions through administrative rulemaking, instead of the Legislature needing to pass a law to expand eligibility.
Currently, patients eligible include those with terminal cancer, intractable epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism or an incurable neurodegenerative disease. Next, the Senate will consider the bill, before it can be sent to the governor to be signed into
Texas medical cannabis program could expand under bill OK d by House reporternews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reporternews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.