AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Monday announced that its Regulatory Services Division (RSD) is now accepting applications for Compassionate Use Program (CUP) dispensing organization licenses.
Applications for these licenses can now be submitted through the RSD's Contact Us portal, using an online application form (CUP-101). The application window will close at 5 p.m. CST on April 28.
"Applicants who have previously applied for a CUP dispensing organization license may reapply by submitting an updated application form (CUP-101)," the DPS said in a press release. "Application fees will be waived for applicants who are reapplying."
According to the DPS, an announcement describing the process for accepting applications and the approval process to issue additional licenses will be made public at a later date.
"The department will issue only the number of licenses necessary to ensure reasonable statewide access to, and the availability of, low-THC cannabis for patients registered in the compassionate-use registry," the DPS said.
The CUP is a result of Senate Bill 339 – or the Texas Compassionate Use Act – that was enacted in 2015 during the 84th session of the Texas Legislature.
Through the program, the DPS operates an online registry of qualified physicians who can prescribe low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical found in marijuana, to patients with specific medical conditions.