LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – A medical marijuana pharmacy could be in Lafayette by summer. For one Acadiana man living with chronic pain, he’s praying it’s sooner rather than later.

Eleven years ago Paul Bosworth suffered a head injury.

Even now he lives with muscle weakness, blurry vision and chronic pain.

“As I conked my head, a lot of my teeth would start hurting. It was my actual cranial nerves setting my teeth on fire,” Bosworth said.

Bosworth has chosen not to take opioids. Instead, he takes CBD oil, derived from the cannabis plant.

“When I put it underneath my tongue I can feel it go through my body. It brings me in the middle to relieve my anxiety so I can sleep better,” Bosworth said.

CBD oil can be purchased over the counter. It’s different from traditional marijuana, which contains THC. THC and CBD come from the cannabis plant. The main difference: THC has the psychoactive affects.

Both CBD and THC are shown to help with anxiety, pain, sleep and mood. 

Medical marijuana would add the THC component to the CBD oil Bosworth already uses. 

CBD currently does not have FDA approval.

“I don’t think there has been enough clinical trials. It’s almost like the law has beaten the medicine because they haven’t allotted enough time,” Richard said.

Mechelle Richard is the program coordinator for the knowledge effect, a community coalition to prevent substance abuse.

 “I’m not against anything that can benefit an ill person if it’s used in the right way. But we know as with anything people will take what’s meant for good and divert it to something that’s meant for bad,” Richard said.

“We have to be harnessed to have it responsibly process and administered,” Bosworth said.

For now, Bosworth takes his CBD oil once a day.

He’s hoping medicinal marijuana laws will soon apply to those with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, so he and those around him can find some relief.

“Why not find something that came from a holistic standpoint and say this actually helps. It’s not going to fix me, but it’s going to help me out,” Bosworth said.

Currently, Louisiana law only allows those with certain conditions like Crohn’s disease, muscular dystrophy and epilepsy to use medical marijuana. 

Legislators are currently debating a bill that could add more conditions to that list, like post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.