Texas' First Licensed Cannabis Dispensary Is Open For Business, But Can You Find A Doctor?

KUT 90.5 | By Michael Marks,

Published February 8, 2018 at 3:29 PM CST

Only 18 neurologists in Texas are registered to prescribe the medication.

From .

The first state-licensed cannabis dispensary for patients with intractable epilepsy in , and, so far, 18 neurologist doctors are on the Compassionate Registry 鈥� including Dr. Gina Jetter, a member of in Tyler.

Jetter says she signed up on the and showed proof that she met the qualifications. For her, it was an easy decision.

鈥淎s an epileptologist, I have thousands of patients," she says, "and 30 percent of them have epilepsy that we cannot control with medications."

Jetter says cannabis is another tool that could help her patients control seizures. So, why are there so few doctors signed up?

鈥淥ne of the reasons is the qualifications. There aren鈥檛 as many that have those strict qualifications, compared to general neurologists,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd the other is, because it鈥檚 the CBD oil and it鈥檚 from marijuana, which is a schedule I substance, and so there鈥檚 not a lot of good evidence, good data out there telling us is marijuana good or not. Until recently.鈥�

Now, Jetter says, a couple studies have emerged showing that a derivative of CBD has been successful in treating some epilepsy patients. Still, some doctors may not sign up for the registry because of the stigma surrounding marijuana.

鈥淔or me, it doesn鈥檛 really matter,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e got hundreds of patients that continue to have seizures, and if there is something that potentially could help them, I am going to be very interested in it and learn about it.鈥�

Jetter says the CBD oil available in Texas is too low in THC to produce a 鈥渉igh.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 so low in what they are permitting patients in Texas to get that you鈥檙e not going to have any of those side effects," she says, "and you鈥檙e just going to have the benefits of the CBD, which helps to decrease seizures in some patients.鈥�

Jetter says she is concerned about a different problem, though, since access to the medication will be in high demand.

鈥淚 think that鈥檚 probably more of an issue,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ecause there鈥檚 not that many of us and there鈥檚 a lot of smaller communities around. It鈥檚 hard to get to the doctor, especially with epilepsy patients. You can鈥檛 drive.鈥�

Written by Angela Bonilla.