If you've heard of the unassuming small Texas town of Schulenburg, it was probably in relation to their German food, delicious kolaches, or famous painted churches. Soon though, it will be known for one more thing: legal cannabis oil.
Knox Medical is one of three medical dispensaries who hold a license to sell cannabis oil in Texas, and they'll be selling it in in the small town of Schulenburg.
Schulenburg has just over 3,000 residents, so it might seem like an odd place to set up shop, but there was a strategy to the location, according to José Hidalgo, owner of Knox Medical.
"We require a large amount of land for us to even consider that. Then the next consideration after that was how can we get the closest to the largest amount of the population?" Hidalgo told the Texas Standard. "So for us, Schulenburg was a good location because you are right near the triangle of Houston, San Antonio, and Austin."
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 339 during the 2015 legislative session which legalized the sale of medical cannabis oil. The law took effect on Sept. 1, 2017. The oil contains high concentrations of cannabidiol, also known as CBD, and low concentrations of THC, which is the chemical in marijuana that creates the "high" feeling.
Only patients with intractable epilepsy who hold prescriptions from a doctor will be able to buy the oil. Intractable epilepsy is epilepsy that does not respond to normal treatment options. Cannabis oil has shown to be beneficial in preventing seizures.
