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Texas’ first medical marijuana dispensary celebrates 6 years this October

Medical marijuana products are also produced locally in Texas.

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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.

Medical marijuana 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.

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Sobering statistic

Texas ranks No. 9 among deadliest states for New Year’s crashes

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At more than 314,000 miles, Texas boasts the largest system of public roads among the 50 states. It also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the deadliest states for New Year’s car accidents.

An analysis of 2014-2023 traffic data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows Texas is the ninth worst state for traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

During the 10-year period covered by the analysis, commissioned by AutoAccident.com, Texas tallied 280 traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day — the highest total of any state. The 280-person toll in Texas works out to 9.61 deaths per one million residents, a rate that’s 37 percent above the national average of 6.99 deaths per one million residents.

The analysis reveals that nearly three-fourths (64 percent) of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traffic deaths in Texas were drivers, nearly one-fifth (19 percent) were pedestrians, and 16 percent were passengers.

“New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous nights on American roads,” says Edward Smith, managing attorney at AutoAccident.com, a personal injury law firm.

“With impaired driving incidents spiking during holiday celebrations, every driver has a responsibility to make smart choices that protect themselves and others sharing the road,” Smith adds. “Even in states with strong safety records, one preventable death is too many.”

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), more than 2,000 drunk driving-related crashes happened during the 2024 holiday season. Last year, December ranked as the No. 1 month in Texas for wrecks caused by drunk drivers.

“The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family, and yet they can also be a painful reminder for those who have lost loved ones to preventable crashes,” says Marc Williams, executive director of TxDOT. “Let’s make a new holiday tradition to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous, and safe. That means always getting a sober ride.”

TxDOT offers these four tips for staying safe on the roads as the calendar switches from 2025 to 2026:

Designate a sober driver before the celebrations start.
Ask a sober relative or friend to pick you up if you’re too tipsy to drive.
Use public transit or rideshare services.
Stay off the roads until you’ve sobered up.

Several organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth are offering ways to get home safely around New Year’s if you’re too drunk to drive:

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has teamed up with Coors Light to provide free rides on New Year’s Eve. To get a free ride, enter the promo code COORSNYE25 in the GoPass app. The offer is available to the first 10,500 riders who enter the code in the GoPass app.
Trinity Metro will offer free Trinity Railway Express rides in Tarrant County from 6 pm-midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Various bars and entertainment venues in Dallas County are supplying QR codes for one free Lyft ride worth up to $35. The EpicCentral entertainment district in Grand Prairie is among the participants.
In collaboration with TxDOT and the Frisco Police Department, Uber is offering $30-per-ride vouchers for people in Frisco who aren’t sober enough to drive. Frisco ranks first on Allstate’s 2025 list of the Texas cities with the best drivers.
Fort Worth Limousines provides designated-driver services in Dallas-Fort Worth via limo, luxury sedan, SUV, and bus.
Pro-Tow Wrecker Service is offering free tows to tipsy motorists in Denton County who need a ride on New Year’s Eve.

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