An Austin company will soon become the first in Texas to grow marijuana legally. Compassion Cultivation has received final approval by the state to produce a specific cannabis oil for a small group of epilepsy patients.
“We are licensed to dispense low-THC, CDB (cannabidiol) medicine to people that have a prescription from a doctor who are suffering with intractable epilepsy,” says CEO Morris Denton.
“This whole idea that those guys are out there just growing all this marijuana and who knows what will happen is nothing further from the truth,” he says. “We're growing a plant that turns into medicine that helps reduce suffering.”
It means the company is growing a specific strain of marijuana with lower levels of the chemical which gets people “high,” and higher levels of the plant's medicinal compound.
The Compassionate Use Act ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to license at least three dispensing organizations by Septepter 1, 2017. Two other dispensaries are still awaiting approval.
Denton calls it the first baby step in Texas possibly expanding medicinal marijuana.
“It's small steps, a little bit at a time until you can demonstrate that you can run the program, you can operate professionally and you can deliver the medicine on a consistent basis.”
Denton hopes to have the first batch of cannabis oil ready for patients in time for the holidays.