AUSTIN, Texas — More than 130 applications have been received by the Texas Department of Public Safety from those looking to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Texas.
A bill to expand Texas' medical marijuana program was passed by the state House of Representatives in April before it died in the Senate. While DPS said there are no current plans to expand usage laws, all 132 applications have been paid.
DPS told KVUE on Wednesday that even though the application process ended on April 28, officials say there's no deadline to approve them.
"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," DPS said in January.
Businesses must meet a slew of financial qualifications to be approved, including enough money to sustain the business for at least two years. That's on top of the fee to apply, which is more than $7,000.
It's all part of the Compassionate Use Program (CUP), which was the result of Senate Bill 339 during the 84th session of the Texas Legislature in 2015.
Through the program, 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.
In 2015, the Legislature approved the Compassionate Use Act, making low-THC medical marijuana legal for patients with intractable epilepsy. In 2019, it was expanded to cover neurodegenerative diseases and terminal cancer. In 2021, it was expanded again for all forms of cancer and PTSD.