Legal Barriers Will Not Stop CBD Oil in Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the potential of the CBD oil market. In fact, CBD is one of the most popular new extracts in the state, with Dallas-Fort Worth the latest city to experience a surge in stores selling CBD oil.

CBD American Shaman is one of many CBD companies who is setting their sights on the heart of Texas. They already operate six stores across the state, one of which is in Dallas. They plan to open another thirty stores over the next ninety days, all selling CBD oil, including one in Austin and Houston.

But Texas is not exactly keen on the idea of CBD oil sales. Even though CBD lacks the psychoactive properties most people associate with marijuana use, the state is not making it any easier for citizens, physicians or even veterans to get their hands on it.

In April, the Texas Department of Health Services requested the ban of CBD sales. Although not yet banned entirely, it is still possible for products containing CBD or THC to be pulled from shelves during routine health inspections.

Medical users of CBD oil also have their own hurdles. As the law stands now, only patients with severe forms of epilepsy can have a prescription for CBD oil. The Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) allows patients low-dose CBD only after other epileptic medications have failed to reduce or control seizures and symptoms. They also have to have the approval of two doctors to get it.  

With all of these barriers, why is the CBD oil market still so hot in Texas?

Because demand is very high in The Lone Star State. CBD oil offers relief for pain and anxiety without the negative side effects that can sometimes come with other medication. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties make it beneficial for patients with neurological disorders, such as epilepsy or Multiple Sclerosis, and it is also known for reducing stress and anxiety.

Medical patients and casual pot smokers alike in Texas are looking for the health and wellness benefits that come along with using CBD oil. In a recent interview with local Dallas news, American Shaman CEO Vince Sanders summed it up by saying, “So many people have been through the pharmaceutical rabbit hole and found that the side effects are worse than what they were trying to treat to begin with.”

Texas is not the only state with strict rules surrounding CBD use and sales. Sixteen other states have specific legislation regarding the use of CBD oil, and four states still consider it illegal. The FDA recently approved the CBD-based seizure medicine Epidiolex, which could be a sign that public opinion about the extract is changing. If this is the case, Texas’ attitude toward CBD oil will soon be seen as outdated. In a market projected to be worth over $2 billion, the state of Texas could miss out on an opportunity if they continue to treat CBD oil as an illegal substance.