A Texas bill that would expand the state’s Compassionate-Use Program for low-THC medical marijuana products has been scheduled for a public hearing on March 3 at 9am in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Cannabis tincture.
Filed last week by State Senator Charles Perry (R), Senate Bill 1505 would increase access to low-THC cannabis while implementing new regulations for dispensing organizations.
The measure would allow licensed dispensaries to operate satellite storage locations, a move designed to improve availability for patients.
“A dispensing organization licensed under this chapter may operate one or more satellite locations in addition to the organization’s primary location to securely store low-THC cannabis for distribution”, states the proposal. These sites would require approval from the Department of State Health Services and would need to meet strict security and operational guidelines that are outline in the bill’s text.
SB 1505 also establishes a statewide cap of six dispensing organization licenses. Currently the state has three.
Under the bill, licensed entities would be required to begin dispensing low-THC cannabis within 24 months of receiving a license and maintain continuous operations to remain in compliance. Failure to meet these requirements could result in license revocation.
Additionally, the legislation places a 300-milligram cap on individual packages or containers of low-THC cannabis products, replacing the current regulation that limits products to a maximum THC concentration of 1% by weight.
The proposal would also preempt local governments from banning the cultivation, production, storage, or dispensing of low-THC cannabis within their jurisdictions.
Texas launched the Compassionate-Use Program in 2015 with the passage of the Texas Compassionate Use Act, initially allowing only patients with intractable epilepsy to access low-THC cannabis. Over the years, the program has gradually expanded to include additional qualifying conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spasticity, autism, terminal cancer, and PTSD. However, Texas still maintains some of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country.
