Texas lawmakers have put cannabis front and center this legislative session. In late May, the contentious SB3 was sent to Governor Greg Abbott, which would effectively ban most intoxicating hemp statewide if signed. Despite the hardline stance on hemp, the House and Senate have agreed to expand the state’s medical marijuana program.
A final version of HB46 was approved over the weekend after negotiations between the House and Senate. The bill is now on its way to Gov. Abbott’s desk.
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Under the proposal, the state will add several qualifying conditions to the Texas Compassionate Use program. People diagnosed with chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, and traumatic brain injury, as well as those in palliative or hospice care, will now be able to access medical marijuana in Texas.
There will also be more medical cannabis dispensaries and consumption methods, thanks to the bill. Currently, there are only three licensed producers and retailers—that number is expected to grow to 15 soon. Existing license holders will also be able to expand operations.
Stores will add more types of topicals and inhalable devices to their shelves, offering patients in need a wider variety of options. The potency of medical cannabis products in Texas will remain fairly low. Previously, the limit was products with no more than one percent THC by dry weight. Now, the package limit will be one gram of THC and 10 mg per dose.
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The expansion of the Texas compassionate use program may be viewed as a win for patients. But hemp advocates believe the looming ban will only serve to hurt entrepreneurs and reduce access for consumers overall.
“While any expansion to access is a positive, when some patients get thrown crumbs while many more get harmed, I don’t think that’s actually a win,” said Andrea Steel, an attorney with Banks Law Firm, in a statement sent to GreenState. “Tens of thousands of people will be put out of business, and consumers will be pushed into the illicit market.”
Gov. Abbot has yet to sign either bill. For cannabis advocates in the Lone Star State, the pot policy whiplash may be overwhelming. But Steel and her clients vow to continue their fight to fully free the plant.
