About the Texas Compassionate Use Act

Texas Compassionate Use Act

While cannabis still remains illegal on a federal level, most U.S. states have now legalized cannabis on a state level either medically or recreationally. While some states legalized medical and recreational cannabis right away, like Oregon and California, other states, like Texas, considered their options a little more carefully. In 2015, Texas made the leap to join other states in allowing the use of medical cannabis to residents who have qualifying medical conditions. The Compassionate Use Act initially allowed legal use of cannabis products with low levels of THC for patients that had intractable epilepsy. In recent years, Texas legislators have expanded this act to include a variety of other conditions.

Learn more about the Texas Compassionate Use Act and the Compassionate Use Registry in Texas, and discover if you qualify for medical marijuana in Texas.

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What Does the Law Say?

Initially, the Texas Compassionate Use Act only applied to residents with intractable epilepsy. But, with the expansion of the program, many more patients are eligible. Today, those with the following conditions may qualify for medical cannabis:

Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders
Spasticity
Multiple Sclerosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Autism
PTSD
Cancer
Incurable Neurodegenerative Diseases

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The expansion of the Texas Compassionate Use Act included more than just medical conditions. As of September 2021, the law was also modified to adjust the maximum levels of THC allowed in legal cannabis products from 0.5% up to 1%.

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Texas Compassionate Use Act Health & Safety

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Texas strives to protect its citizens when it comes to cannabis. In addition to the Texas Compassionate Use Act, the state has implemented a number of health and safety codes for doctors, dispensaries, and administrations surrounding the cannabis community. Some of the most important codes that may be relevant for your cannabis experience include:

Texas Health and Safety Code | Chapter 487

Chapter 487 of the Health and Safety Code refers to the licensing and registration of dispensaries. This chapter establishes the requirements for the Compassionate Use Act, including maintaining the Compassionate Use Registry, a record of each physician that registers as a prescriber and the amount of cannabis provided by the dispensary. The Compassionate Use Registry in Texas is accessible to all law enforcement agencies.

Texas Occupations Code | Chapter 169

In this chapter, Texas legislators specify that qualified physicians can prescribe cannabis to certain patients. It also defines cannabis as a plant that contains less than 1% of tetrahydrocannabinol by weight. The definition differs from the one for hemp in the Texas Agriculture Code, which specifies a plant that consists of less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol by weight.

Texas Administrative Code | Chapter 1

One of the first addendums to the list of qualifying conditions in the Texas Compassionate Use Act was incurable neurodegenerative diseases. This code and chapter adding these diseases went into effect in December 2019.

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Finding a Qualified Physician

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The Texas Compassionate Use Registry is operated by the Department of Public Safety. This registry is an amazing resource, as it provides you access to a massive database of local physicians that are qualified to prescribe low-THC cannabis.

At Texas 420 Doctors, all of our physicians are board-certified and registered with CURT. Find out if you qualify for a cannabis prescription now, and make an appointment to get started.

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How It Works

After you’ve filled out the form to see if you qualify, you’ll be immediately notified of your eligibility. If eligible, we’ll set up a secure, confidential telehealth appointment with one of our physicians. They’ll discuss your medical history, symptoms, and lifestyle to determine that your condition qualifies you for medical cannabis under the Texas Compassionate Use Act. If the physician confirms your eligibility, they’ll write you an open prescription for medical marijuana and discuss recommendations for products and dosing based on their evaluation.

Once you have your prescription, we complete the registration process in the Texas Compassionate Use Registry to ensure that every local dispensary has a record of your prescription.

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General FAQs

What’s the difference between marijuana, hemp, and CBD?

The main difference between these three types of cannabis plant products is the amount of psychoactive compound they contain. Marijuana has more than 0.3% THC, while hemp has less. CBD is the non-psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. It is legal in Texas in every form, as long as its THC content is below 0.3%.

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What’s legal right now?

CBD is completely legal in Texas. Cannabis products containing THC are legal for individuals with qualifying conditions as long as they contain 1% or less of the psychoactive compound.

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When do you get your cannabis card?

Texas doesn’t utilize physical cannabis cards to verify your prescription. All legal dispensaries have access to the CURT system to check your prescription. Additionally, you’ll get a written approval letter to provide documentation in case you’re pulled over.

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When will recreational cannabis be legal in Texas?

Some state representatives are hoping to legalize cannabis in Texas for all uses. One such bill was introduced by Representative Joe Moody. It prevents police from arresting people who possess an ounce or less of marijuana.

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