The Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) was established in 2015. The Legislature expanded the program in 2019 and again in 2021, providing access to low-THC (1%) cannabis for those with a few medical conditions.
Top Recommendations to Make TCUP More Inclusive:
Cannabis is less harmful than many prescription medications
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, opioid overdose deaths in Texas have more than doubled since 2014. The Texas Department of State Health Services highlights the heartbreaking reality that 25% Texans have experienced an opioid overdose or know someone who has. By contrast, medical cannabis is a safer alternative and can even reduce reliance on prescription painkillers. No one has ever fatally overdosed on cannabis.
Medical cannabis access for patients with debilitating conditions is not a partisan issue
Both Texas Republicans and Democrats include in their party platforms a call upon the Texas Legislature to improve the Compassionate Use Act to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis.
The Texas Compassionate Use Program is unreasonably restrictive for both patients and dispensaries.
State lawmakers have slow-rolled this program, keeping countless sick Texans from accessing cannabis medicine.
Not only is the list of qualifying conditions restricted, but products are limited and businesses are subject to unnecessary regulatory hurdles.
Join us in calling on lawmakers to expand and improve the Compassionate Use Program!
Qualifying Conditions
Current Law: PTSD, autism, cancer, epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, incurable neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, or medical conditions approved for research by the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services.
Recommendation: Allow doctors to decide if cannabis can help a particular patient. At minimum, add the following conditions:
Types of Medicine
Current Law: Low-THC, limited to 1% by weight.
Recommendation:
Additional Policy Recommendations:
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) administers and regulates the Compassionate Use Program. Through the program, DPS operates a secure online registry of qualified physicians who can prescribe low-THC cannabis to patients with specific medical conditions.
The registry, called the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT), is designed to prevent more than one qualified physician from registering as the prescriber for a single patient, is accessible to law enforcement agencies and dispensing organizations to verify patients of low-THC cannabis, and allows a physician to input safety and efficacy data derived from the treatment of patients for whom low-THC cannabis is prescribed.
DPS also manages the licensing of organizations that dispense low-THC cannabis to patients in the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas.
HB 1805 - A bill relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis by patients with certain medical conditions.
HB 1805 was passed in the House with a vote of 127 Yeas, 19 Nays.
(This bill didn't receive a vote in the Senate.)
Yeas — Allen; Allison; Anchía; Bailes; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Burns; Burrows; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Clardy; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Cunningham; Darby; Davis; Dean; Dutton; Flores; Frank; Frazier; Gámez; Garcia; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; González, J.; González, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris, C.E.; Harris, C.J.; Harrison; Hayes; Hernandez; Herrero; Hinojosa; Holland; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Jetton; Johnson, A.; Johnson, J.E.; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kacal; King, K.; King, T.; Klick; Kuempel; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Lozano; Lujan; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; Meyer; Meza; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morrison; Muñoz; Murr; Neave Criado; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Ortega; Patterson; Perez; Plesa; Price; Ramos; Raney; Raymond; Reynolds; Rogers; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Sherman; Shine; Smith; Smithee; Spiller; Stucky; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thierry; Thimesch; Thompson, S.; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Walle; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener.
Nays — Anderson; Ashby; Bell, C.; Bonnen; Capriglione; Craddick; DeAyala; Dorazio; Hefner; Kitzman; Leo-Wilson; Metcalf; Noble; Paul; Schaefer; Shaheen; Slaton; Slawson; Thompson, E. Present, not voting — Mr. Speaker; Goldman(C). Absent, Excused — Vo. Absent — Johnson, J.D.
The following Representatives were not present for the vote, but added the following notes to the record: When [the vote] was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no. Isaac
Sadly, this legislation was not given consideration in the Texas Senate, so it wasn't passed into law.
Use this link to identify your Texas House District Representative and Texas Senator. It's these state lawmakers we want to focus on when advocating for Texas Cannabis Policy.
Use your home address (where you're registered to vote) to identify who represents you in the Texas Legislature.
When contacting lawmakers, remember to be engage professionally and always be respectful.
Our Legislature will convene from January 14 to June 2, 2025.
Join us in calling on lawmakers to expand and improve the Compassionate Use Program!
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