CBD oil, mental health days for first responders? Here are some resources Austin personnel could be getting – KXAN.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) Several new efforts to provide mental health resources could be coming for Austins first responders.

In 2019, the Austin City Council directed city staff to study how to fill the gaps in mental health resources for EMS, fire and police personnel. On Monday, the Public Safety Commission approved the study results and the recommendations made for improvements.

A document provided during the meeting stated the commission believes that the mental and physical health of our first responders is key to the safety of the citizens of Austin.

They voted 6 to 1 to support the following efforts:

Regarding the department policies on CBD oil, the chiefs of staff of each agency noted their officers and employees are permitted to use legal hemp or CBD products. Still, the have to caution them against any product that could cause a random drug test to come back positive.

Reena Kaven, owner of Tribe CBD and Cannabinoids in North Austin, explained that some CBD products feature small, legal amounts of THC to help the CBD work better in the body. These are called full-spectrum products.

For mental health its especially important, whether its people with severe PTSD, she said. Use of CBD can lift the mood, help us focus, and relieve us of all the stress and anxiety of these every day bombardments of bad news.

She said shes aware of some first responders as customers and isnt shocked, given the high stress nature of their jobs. She often recommends products, however, with the THC fully extracted called broad-spectrum.

It can build up in your system overtime and pop a drug test positive, Kaven said.

Austin Fire Departments Chief of Staff Rob Vires noted, We did send a notice out to our department just making people aware, theres no regulation over CBD oil and theres no ability to tell the difference.

Kaven warned about illegal products, featuring more THC while masquerading as legal, making their way into Texas from states like California.

The key is education. You go into a store, and somebody knows what they are talking about and can provide you with this kind of information about full-spectrum or broad-spectrum, and how it would effect you in a drug test, she said, Then youll find a safe product.

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CBD oil, mental health days for first responders? Here are some resources Austin personnel could be getting - KXAN.com