Texas Set to Expand Medical Cannabis Program After Passing THC Ban

Texas lawmakers are set to add chronic pain as a qualifying condition for
the state’s medical cannabis program, according to a statement posted this
week by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), saying he had reached an agreement on the
issue with state Rep. Tom Oliverson (R).

The agreement comes after the House earlier this month voted 122 to 21 to
advance a bill adding chronic pain and Crohn’s disease to the Texas
Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) — and also after the Legislature last week approved
a statewide ban on products containing any amount of THC or other
cannabinoids except for CBD or CBG.

Patrick posted Sunday on X that lawmakers have agreed “to add chronic pain
as a qualifying medical condition to TCUP (compassionate use program) for
those who suffer chronic pain as currently defined by the Texas Medical
Board rules.”

The lieutenant governor also highlighted several changes to the state
program under House Bill 46:

“We are expanding licenses from 3 (current law) to 12 and adding satellite
locations in each public health region of the state for the first time
ever. We’ve also added terminal illness and hospice care to the list of
qualifying medical conditions for the TCUP program. Additionally, we’ve
increased and standardized the dosage, while giving physicians autonomy to
prescribe the right dose for each patient’s needs, along with metered dose
inhalation delivery systems.” — Lt. Gov. Patrick, in a statement

Patrick was also the driving force behind the Legislature’s recent THC ban,
having announced last year that lawmakers would prioritize reining in the
Texas hemp products industry.

Meanwhile, hemp advocates are petitioning Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to
veto the ban on hemp products.