In 2015, the 84th Texas legislative session enacted the Texas compassionate use at Senate Bill 339 requiring the Department of Public Safety to create a secure registry of physicians treating intractable epilepsy patients with low THC cannabis. In 2019 the 86th Texas legislature expanded the program to include additional medical conditions and physician specialties for which low THC cannabis may be prescribed. The Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) system has undergone the necessary modifications to allow additional physician specialty registrations and support patient prescriptions for these additional conditions (House Bill 3703).
Governor Gregg Abbott signed the bill into law on June 15, 2021. This bill allows for all forms of cancer patients with PTSD to now quality for the program while increasing the THC cap from 0.5 percent to 1 percent and facilitates research programs. Additionally, a bill which codify patient protections for those who are in the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T.CUP) and protect them from being harassed by child protective services takes effect on September 1, 2021. We will keep you updated as these new additions to the Texas Compassionate Use Program rolls out.
A record six bills regarding cannabis policy passed from the Texas House to the Senate this session. Additionally, the House held committee hearings for thirteen (13) cannabis bills. Bills were sent to the Senate which would: