Conventional drugs haven’t calmed Tobin Judd’s racing mind. The veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder decided to take a different path open to Florida residents — medical marijuana.

“I was taking pure poison before this,” Judd said.

A doctor recommended oral and inhalation cannabis for Judd’s ailment weeks ago, and he sat in a new dispensary waiting for his first prescription.

The veteran hadn’t tried any medical marijuana, but a small dose from a friend convinced Judd to get a medical marijuana card.

“You can actually focus instead of having a racing mind,” he said. “When you can do that, it’s just night and day. There is no other.”

Judd chose Bonita Springs’ first dispensary to buy a vaporizer and the necessary cartridges. The new Curaleaf location was Judd’s closest option.

The Curaleaf dispensary is in a former SunTrust Bank at the southeast corner of Bonita Beach Road and Imperial Parkway, less than a mile away from the Collier County line.

“We were working in Lee County and definitely noticed the Collier County population,” said Michelle Terrell, a Curaleaf spokesperson.

Collier County continues to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, forcing patients to drive north to Fort Myers to collect any medicine. A delivery service is available but rarely used, said Vinit Patel, regional dispensary operations manager for Curaleaf.

“(Delivery usage) depends by area, but it is a small portion of our business,” Patel said.

A Naples resident, Judd said the Collier County Commission should open the door for dispensaries.

“It’s not people just getting high,” he said. “It’s real medicine for people like me.”

Bonita Springs opened the doors for dispensaries in early 2018.

Smoking medical marijuana in Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he wants to open Florida’s medical marijuana laws to allow smoking cannabis.

Curaleaf is ready to handle any changes, Patel said.

“We have space for flowers,” he said. “We can install refrigerators for edibles.”

Edible marijuana, usually taken in brownies, cookies or chocolates, are still off limits.

Judd said eating an edible every day would be much simpler than using a vape pen.

“I would try a brownie,” he said. “I don’t think I’d smoke. I don’t like the feeling and taste.”

Kyle Smith helps people get medical marijuana cards. Smith works at Advanced Individualized Medicine and has seen dozens of people switching from conventional drugs to cannabis.

“A lot are older patients trying to get off opiates,” Smith said.

Three other dispensaries are scrambling to open a shop in Bonita Springs.

Liberty Health Sciences plans to open in a strip mall north of U.S. 41 and Old 41 Road near the Estero village limit at 24611 Production Circle. It would be the dispensary farthest north.

The others are planned around Bonita Beach Road.

Surterra Wellness should open southeast of the U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road intersection behind Pinchers at 28520 Bonita Crossings Blvd.

Trulieve most recently applied for a location at 10347 Bonita Beach Road in a strip mall near Bonita Beach Road and Old 41 Road.

The three have varying business applications submitted to the city. None have a firm opening date.

Even with four dispensaries, there could be enough patients to make everyone thrive.

“The market is thriving here,” he said.

Curaleaf is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at 11721 Bonita Beach Road.