With both the passing of The Farming Act of 2018 and the lessening of the Drug Schedule for CBD, products containing cannabidiol have been spreading across all corners of the nation in a number of ways. Due to CBD’s botanical relationship to its more psychoactive cousin THC, CBD has gone through many legal hurdles and to this day, the legality of CBD is incredibly convoluted. Yet, this hasn’t stopped the momentum of motivation and a previously illegal field of work has now brought in people from all walks of life.
About an hour west of Fort Worth is a town of about 17,000 called Mineral Wells. Known for natural springs rich in minerals, the town’s quaint, friendly nature and richness in history perfectly encapsulates what makes a small town in Texas charming to travelers.
Beginning in November of 2017, Amy Southern Obannon (pictured above) secretly began experiencing painful sensations that she described the feeling as “your brain being electrocuted” up to ten times daily and excruciating neck and back pain. She couldn’t sleep and the constant agony began to take a personal toll on Obannon’s life. Instead of simply living with the pain, she decided to be proactive and treat the pain in an increasingly common way in Texas.
She extensively researched cannabis-based oils and the legalities of their products. As anyone who’s familiar with the restrictive cannabis laws in Texas knows, THC in any form is prohibited in Texas. Through her searches, Obannon got in contact with Colorado-based Folium Biosciences, the CBD wholesaler that now supplies her with raw products to sell. From there, Obannon purchased a CBD oil and salve.
“The first night of taking the oil, I slept through the night. My back and neck still hurt horribly, but at least I was sleeping so I kept taking it. After a week and a half, I felt like a normal functioning person again. I thought if this works so good for me then everyone needs to know about this and have access to it.” Obannon said.
Following a call back to Folium to tell of her success with the product, Obannon decided to make the leap of faith and begin her own CBD venture. From a tent in the Mineral Wells Farmers Market to being in the process of opening a storefront and partnering with other local businesses such as Kite Family Farms, At Ease has become a supplier of all products CBD-related. Softgels, tinctures, salves and even products for our four-legged friends and livestock are just a few examples of the very expansive catalog.
And contrary to the beliefs that one may have about the relationship between CBD businesses and rural conservative towns like Mineral Wells, Obannon hasn’t received any harassment or trouble whatsoever from the locals or from any law enforcement entities. To guarantee legal compliance for her company, she spoke with both an attorney and the Mineral Wells Police Chief himself to learn the specific laws for the county. For her products, she recieves certification from Folium directly to ensure the products are entirely devoid of THC.
Not too surprisingly given the demographical data from the majority of states and counting that have legalized medicinal cannabis and/or cannabidiol, many of Obannon’s customers are elderly persons looking for relief for a variety of ailments related to aging.
As for how she believes At Ease and other CBD companies will change with the passage of The Farming Act of 2018, Obannon thinks that the bill will result in even further expansion of cannabidiol and hemp products in areas that don’t contain a plethora of CBD/hemp businesses.
For more information on At Ease and their products, please visit: https://www.cbdhempforsale.com/
Photo Credits: Amy Southern Obannon.