Texas' strongest THC gummy hits the market

Texas Original, the state's largest medical cannabis provider, recently launched a blueberry lemonade gummy, the strongest THC edible available in Texas.

Why it matters: The new gummy, the state's first legal 30-milligram option, was created to help patients with conditions like PTSD, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

• It's 50% stronger than the strongest legal edibles previously available, and the company says it alleviates pain, muscle spasms and nausea.

Context: In states with less stringent marijuana laws — like the liberal bastion of Oklahoma — it's not rare to see gummies three or four times this strong.

• Some places sell 3,000-milligram gummies — 100 times stronger than anything Texas Original sells.

Catch up quick: Yes, Texas has a medical marijuana program.

• Lawmakers looked at the possibility of expanding the list of eligible conditions earlier this year, but those efforts failed.

Yes, but: Texans who don't qualify for the medical marijuana program can still purchase products with very low levels of THC.

• The state's hemp law legalized the sale of industrial hemp that contains less than 0.3% or less of delta-9 THC — the main active ingredient in cannabis. Delta-8 THC, a popular cannabis derivative, also remains legal in the state.
• The hemp law paved the way for companies to sell a host of products across the state, including in corner vending machines in Austin.

Meanwhile: Texas Original has 40,000 patients and just celebrated the company's sixth anniversary with new pickup locations in Plano, Hurst, North Austin and The Woodlands.

What they're saying: "What started as a dream has become a reality," Texas Original CEO Nico Richardson said in a recent statement.

• He says the next six years will be defined by Texas' "responsibility" to make medical cannabis more accessible to residents with conditions like chronic pain.