HOUSTON — Looking at its new storefront along Houston Avenue, you may not know what Texas Original sells. But the leaf on the logo provides a clue.
"We’re the leading medical cannabis company in the state of Texas,” CEO Morris Denton said.
The company’s first brick-and-mortar location in Houston allows patrons with a prescription to get gummies, tinctures and other products that contain no more than 1% THC.
That's the marijuana compound that normally gets you “high” and is also believed to effectively treat pain and other issues.
"It's the first of its kind in Houston without a doubt," Denton said. "I mean, it’s a historic store in the City of Houston. It’s the first medical cannabis store that’s part of the state’s Compassionate Use Program.”
That program, overseen by Texas DPS, now allows medical cannabis treatment for autism, all cancers, epilepsy, PTSD and other ailments.
Patients can get prescriptions through their physicians or one facilitated by the store itself.
“It’s a below-knee amputation,” customer Carlos Rodriguez said.
He lost part of his leg in a motorcycle accident and is seeking natural relief for phantom pain.
"They were giving me a doctor I could consult with," Rodriguez said. "So, from there, I’ll go forward and we’ll find out if this is a fit for me.”
Texas Original is one of only a handful of companies legally allowed to sell medical cannabis in the state. It grows its own plants, extracts the essential oils and delivers the product. It’s a far cry from fully legalized marijuana, which is a word the company frowns upon.
"Marijuana as a word is frankly a slang term," Denton said. "Cannabis is the more accurate definition and the term we use.”
Under current state law, products provided at the new Houston store cannot be stored in-house overnight. They’re brought back and forth from Austin daily.