People in Texas with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other medical conditions now have access to cannabis-infused lozenges, Surterra Texas announced.
Under a Texas Compassionate Use Program, cannabis-containing therapies may be prescribed to help treat various neurological and other disorders, including terminal cancer, spasticity, autism, and epilepsy, as well as MS.
“We are excited that Surterra Texas is the first medical cannabis provider to offer cannabis-infused lozenges to patients in Texas,” Marcus Ruark, the company’s president, said in a press release. Surterra Texas is a division of the multi-state wellness company Parallel, which specializes in cannabis products.
Cannabis is a plant that naturally produces several biologically active compounds; because of this, it has a long history of medical and recreational use. Among the most widely known compounds produced by cannabis are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
THC is the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis — that is, it induces the “high” associated with recreational cannabis use. CBD is not psychoactive — it does not induce a “high” — but it does have various other effects on the body.
Cannabis-based medications have shown efficacy and been approved to treat certain types of seizures.
Accumulating evidence also indicate that cannabis-based products may benefit people with a range of other conditions. For instance, they may stimulate appetite in people with cancer or cystic fibrosis. In multiple sclerosis, data indicate that cannabis-based medicines can reduce spasticity (muscular stiffness or involuntary spasms).
Surterra Texas’s lozenges will be available as two product brand lines: Soothe Watermelon Lozenges, which have a one-to-one ratio of CBD to THC (2.5 mg CBD and 2.5 mg THC per lozenge) and Relief Watermelon Lozenges, which have a one-to-nine ratio of CBD to THC (0.5 mg CBD and 4.5 mg THC per lozenge).
The lozenges are sold in child-resistant packages; each package contains 20 lozenges and costs $30. They are sugar free, and contain natural watermelon flavor, the company reports. The lozenges are taken under the tongue (sublingual administration), and chewing the lozenge is not recommended.