Medical Cannabis in Texas — What Might The Future Hold?

Texas Cannabis Laws Are Beyond Frustrating

I’m honestly fed up with how Texas is handling cannabis laws. It’s like they’re trying to look progressive while keeping everything so restricted it barely makes a difference. Texas’s Compassionate Use Program, started in 2015, is one of the strictest in the U.S., only allowing low-THC oil for a tiny list of conditions like epilepsy. House Bill 46 is supposed to loosen things up, but it’s so limited it’s almost laughable. And then there’s Senate Bill 3, which could destroy the state’s $5 billion hemp industry. It’s hard to wrap my head around this mess, and I need to break it down because it feels completely insane.

The Dispensary “Lottery” Is Ridiculous

House Bill 46 increases the number of dispensaries in Texas from three to 15. For a state with nearly 30 million people, that’s nowhere near enough. The Department of Public Safety is picking who gets these licenses through a process that feels like winning the lottery. Over 100 applicants from 2023, plus new ones, are competing for just 12 new spots. You need money, secure facilities, and a perfect plan to even be considered. Meanwhile, patients are left with almost no access in huge parts of the state. It’s frustrating to see such a half-hearted effort to help people who need it.

Low THC Levels Aren’t Helping Enough

The THC cap in Texas’s medical program is another thing that drives me up the wall. They’re allowing up to 10 mg per dose and 1 gram per package, but that’s so low it’s barely therapeutic for serious conditions like chronic pain or epilepsy. Research shows higher THC is often necessary for real relief, but Texas acts like anything stronger is dangerous. Other states let patients get what actually works. This feels like a token gesture, not a solution.

Patients Are the Ones Suffering

Imagine dealing with chronic pain or a terminal illness, only to find out the medicine you need is locked behind a system that feels designed to keep you out. With so few dispensaries and such low THC levels, patients are forced to travel hours or settle for treatments that don’t work. It’s not just bad policy—it’s cruel.

Why Ban Smokable Flower?

Here’s where it gets even more absurd: Texas is okay with vaporizers but bans smokable flower. Why? Some patients find smoking more effective or easier to use, and it’s often more affordable. Banning flower while allowing vapes doesn’t make sense—they’re both inhalation methods! Meanwhile, cannabis is safer than Tylenol, which causes over 50,000 ER visits yearly for liver damage, per CDC data. A 2017 National Academy of Sciences report found cannabis effective for chronic pain and epilepsy, with no recorded overdose deaths. Yet Texas treats cannabis like it’s the bigger threat. This restriction feels like politics, not science, and it’s infuriating for patients who need options.

Senate Bill 3 Could Ruin Hemp

Then there’s Senate Bill 3, which has hemp advocates rallying because it could devastate Texas’s $5 billion hemp industry. From what’s out there, it seems the bill might ban certain hemp products or add regulations so strict that small businesses can’t survive. Hemp isn’t even psychoactive—it’s CBD, lotions, and health products used by everyone from athletes to seniors. Threatening an industry this big while barely expanding medical marijuana is so contradictory it’s hard to believe.

I want to be hopeful about House Bill 46, but it’s such a small step it feels insulting. Patients deserve real access to effective medicine, not this tightly controlled system that leaves most people out. And threatening the hemp industry at the same time? That’s just wrong. Want to dig deeper? Check out the full text of House Bill 46 or follow groups like Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy to stay in the loop. If you’re as frustrated as I am, share your thoughts below—we need to push for better.