If passed into law, it would add several conditions to the list of those eligible for treatment, such as chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, Crohn’s disease, and degenerative disc disease. It would also give licensed dispensers the ability to establish additional satellite locations.

How This Bill Changes Texas’s Medical Cannabis Program

The measure introduces set of changes to the state’s Compassionate-Use Program, aiming to expand access to medical cannabis while introducing more explicit rules around its use and distribution.

It would increase the types of cannabis products available to patients and add several new qualifying conditions for registration.

Among its key proposals, the bill clarifies that any group dispensing low-THC cannabis must hold a license from the Department of Public Safety. Dispensaries would now store cannabis at approved satellite locations. However, these additional sites would still need to meet strict design and security requirements.

To support access across Texas, the measure directs the state to issue up to 11 licenses for dispensing organizations, ensuring at least one serves each public health region. It also sets a firm timeline: licensed dispensaries would need to begin operating within 24 months and remain active throughout the license term. The department would oversee compliance and revoke licenses if operations don’t begin or are discontinued early.

In terms of product safety, the bill limits each package or container to no more than 1.2 grams of THC. At the same time, it prevents local governments, including cities and counties, from enacting rules that would restrict the cultivation, production, storage, or dispensing of low-THC cannabis. This measure ensures that patients can access medical cannabis wherever they live.

In addition, the bill revises the legal definition of low-THC cannabis, limiting the dosage to a per-dose limit of 20 milligrams of THC and moving away from a weight-based measure. It also expands the list of qualifying conditions to include chronic pain (for which opioids would typically be prescribed), glaucoma, traumatic brain injury, spinal neuropathy, Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, degenerative disc disease, terminal illnesses or conditions requiring hospice or palliative care, and any condition designated by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Only permanent residents of Texas would be eligible to receive prescriptions, with a 90-day supply limit. While the bill allows the medical use of cannabis via pulmonary inhalation (such as vaping) when necessary, it specifically excludes smoking as an approved method.

If passed, the bill would go into effect on September 1, widening the state’s medical cannabis policy by increase access, broaden eligibility, and ensure consistent, safe distribution across Texas.

To implement these changes, the bill mandates that by October 1, the Department of Public Safety and the Health and Human Services Commission should adopt administrative rules to cover satellite locations, operational requirements, and the use of pulmonary inhalation.