A Texas bill to expand the state’s Compassionate-Use Program for low-THC medical marijuana products has passed the Senate State Affairs Committee in a 8 to 0 vote.
Sponsored by State Senator Charles Perry (R), SB 1505 would allow licensed dispensaries to operate satellite storage locations, a move advocates say would improve access for patients. The bill also sets a statewide cap of six dispensing organization licenses, up from the current three, and requires licensed entities to begin dispensing low-THC cannabis within 24 months of approval.
Additionally, the measure imposes a 300-milligram limit on individual packages of low-THC cannabis products, replacing the existing regulation that caps THC concentration at 1% by weight. It would also prevent local governments from banning the cultivation, production, storage, or dispensing of low-THC cannabis within their jurisdictions.
Texas first established its Compassionate-Use Program in 2015, initially allowing only patients with intractable epilepsy to access low-THC cannabis. The program has since expanded to include conditions such as multiple sclerosis, autism, terminal cancer, and PTSD. However, the state continues to maintain some of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country.
SB 1505 now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
