Despite no current intentions to broaden Texas’ medical cannabis program, the state’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been inundated with over 130 dispensary applications.
A total of 132 submissions were lodged with DPS officials during the application period from January 16 to April 28, as per a report by KVUE.
Speaking to the media outlet, a spokesperson for the department revealed that although the application phase ended in spring, there’s no established timeline for approving these applications, nor are there any immediate plans to expand the medical cannabis program in the state.
In April, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at extending the medical cannabis program, which included adding eligible conditions and raising the THC cap above 1%. However, this bill did not progress in the Senate.
Since Texas instituted its medical cannabis law in 2015, only three dispensaries have been granted licenses to provide low-THC cannabis to those enrolled in the Compassionate Use Program.
As of October 2023, the program has registered 68,611 patients, as highlighted in a DPS report.
The DPS announced in January its decision to accept new applications for dispensary licenses, stating, “The department will issue only as many licenses as needed to guarantee reasonable statewide access to, and availability of, low-THC cannabis for registered patients.”
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