Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed House Bill 46 as law. This improves the access to Texas’ medical cannabis Compassionate use Program.
Prior to this, the Program only covered very low THC medical cannabis with a few qualifying conditions. The new changes introduced by HB 46The following are the changes that will take effect September 1, 2025:
- More qualifying conditions — including chronic pain.
- Formulations with higher THC (upto 10mg/dose unit).
- Smoking cannabis is still prohibited.
- The doctor can approve up to 90 days of medical marijuana.
- There are 12 additional licenses available for dispensers.
Prior to this, Marijuana policy Project (MPP), due to the Compassionate Use Program’s restrictions, didn’t view Texas as a medical marijuana state. This view is now changing.
The state of Texas, following in the footsteps 39 other states has adopted a policy that is common sense and will allow Texans with serious health conditions to have access to a drug that is already improving life quality nationwide.” said Lauren Daly, Interim Executive Director at MPP.
After the expansion, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws now also classifies Texas as the forty-first medical cannabis state.
Commenting on the dozens of bills that were signed into law by President Obama on June 21. Governor Abbott said:
“…. The 89th Regular Legislative Session passed critical legislation that safeguards individual liberties and protects the security of Texans. We will work with the Texas Legislature to keep Texas as the best state in which to live, raise a child, or go to school.
As per Texas Cannabis Information According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, as of April 2025, there were 112,495 active patients enrolled in Texas’ Compassionate Usage Program, up from just 82,475 at the end of April 2024.
Legislation establishing the Compassionate Use Program was enacted in 2015 and the program was expanded in 2021. This expansion expanded the program to include patients suffering from PTSD, cancer of all kinds and increased THC’s threshold to 1 percent.
Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas has decided to veto another bill that was aimed at banning hemp-derived THC from being sold in his state. More than 150 000 people signed a protest against Senate Bill 3.