Latest news with #HouseBill46
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program as THC ban heads to Abbott
After days of contentious back-and-forth between the two Texas legislative chambers, the Senate late Tuesday night approved an expansion to the state's medical marijuana program. House Bill 46, by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, will expand the Texas Compassionate Use Program fourfold, upping the number of available dispensary licenses from the current three to 12 statewide. It passed the Senate unanimously after the House and Senate struck a deal to include chronic pain, terminal disease and hospice care as qualifying conditions for a cannabis prescription. The expanded medical program also adds aerosol cannabis products like vapes, along with patches and lotions. More: As Texas weighs banning consumable hemp containing THC, Austin shop sees 'stock buying' The deal marks a détente between the House and Senate on the subject as a sweeping ban on THC products is on its way to the governor's desk. The Senate had stripped House provisions for chronic pain as a qualifying condition for the Compassionate Use Program, drawing fierce blowback from House members who later pushed for the condition to be reinstated. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate want to ban intoxicating hemp products — which have been legal in Texas since 2019 — through Senate Bill 3, which was passed by both chambers in recent weeks. The House's version of the proposal instead called for increased regulation of THC product sales, but the upper chamber's version of the bill won the day. It's not yet clear if Gov. Greg Abbott plans to sign the bill. In a news conference Wednesday, during which Patrick displayed an array of THC products and sharply criticized members of the media for coverage of the THC ban and resulting inter-chamber conflict, the bill's author praised the TCUP expansion, which he said will still serve those who use THC medicinally while curbing dangerous hemp products. 'We promised on the front end, when we get rid of the bad stuff, we'll find a way to thread the needle for those that have found benefit,' said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. 'I think it's the relief we promised. … We're expanding the things that we believe are legitimate needs that can be met through a responsible delivery system.' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program, THC ban
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas likely to expand medical marijuana program eligibility amid looming hemp ban
The Texas Senate advanced a bill Tuesday that will expand the conditions eligible for the state's medical marijuana program, including chronic pain and Crohn's disease, and allow for smokable products to be sold by prescription. House Bill 46 by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, which had seven amendments, will allow patients in the state's medical marijuana program to use products like cannabis patches, lotions, and prescribed inhalers and vaping devices. The House already approved the bill 122-21 earlier this month, and the Senate gave it unanimous approval Tuesday. If it becomes law, the list of qualifying conditions would also expand to include chronic pain and terminal or hospice care. The next step for this bill is for Gov. Greg Abbott to sign it before it becomes law. Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, clarified that those who will be eligible under the chronic pain designation are most likely those who are already prescribed an opiate for it. 'When you get an opiate, that is the highest level of pain you can get in our bodies, right? The medical board threaded that needle and we are using that definition,' he said. 'There wasn't a legislative definition, but there was a medical one, and we tied it to that.' The bill would also allow licensed dispensers to open more satellite locations, which supporters say is necessary to prevent the industry from collapsing, and adds nine dispensers, pushing the total to 12. Perry said the first three dispensers will be picked from the previously submitted list, and then it will be opened up to the public. In Texas, licensed medical cannabis providers must house all operations — including cannabis cultivation, processing, extracting, manufacturing, testing, and dispensing — under one roof. State regulations also prohibit inventory storage of medical cannabis products in multiple locations, so products must be distributed from the central dispensary. Any prescriptions scheduled for pickup outside the central dispensary must be driven daily to and from the pickup location — sometimes thousands of miles round-trip. This has made their products more expensive and limited where the medical marijuana program can reach, hampering the small medical cannabis market in Texas. House Bill 46 is meant to correct some of this problem by allowing medical marijuana distributors to store their products in various satellite locations instead of having to drive across the state to return the product to the original dispensary every day. 'This should help alleviate some of the costs because they will be able to store it in those distribution centers,' said Perry. However, the most significant potential change would be allowing smokable marijuana products, such as vapes, into the program, helping to match the popularity of products found in the hemp industry. The Texas medical program can currently only sell gummies, lozenges, topicals, beverages, and tinctures, as smoking or vaping products have not been approved. Many hemp products, which are unregulated and sold more freely in smoke shops, also give the same high as medical marijuana, but are cheaper for consumers, and don't require a visit to a medical professional for pre-approval to purchase. This ease of access has pretty much made the medical marijuana program irrelevant, according to the medical marijuana industry. Texas lawmakers recently passed a bill that will essentially wipe out the hemp market, and the blowback has been noticed. 'What we have done this session, members, is eradicate bad actors who are poisoning our community, children and adults, and making a massive profit off people,' said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, during the hearing for HB 46. 'We have wiped them out and are now building one of the biggest Compassionate Use Programs in the country.' Some of the most vigorous opposition to the all-out ban on hemp products has come from those who use it for medical purposes. Veterans, parents of children with mental health or physical disabilities, and the elderly spoke to lawmakers this year about the importance of having easy access to hemp products, not the medical marijuana program. 'I want to reiterate since we got so many calls. This body has always made a commitment to our veterans. But we also have a commitment to our kids, and it's to keep them safe from narcotics that they shouldn't be doing until they are 25 and under a medical setting,' said Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, during the hearing Tuesday night. 'Never under any terms did we intend for a child to go to the convenience store and get a vape pen. We had to grab the reins of a pretty strong horse. We all had to do that, and we all got grief for it, but we never authorized it in the first place.' First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Texas Expanding Legal Cannabis Access Before Wider Ban
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas could be set to expand access to legal cannabis after a wider ban of THC products was passed in the state House last week. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said on Monday that he had had a "positive conversation" with State Representative Tom Oliverson about expanding eligibility for the state's medical marijuana program, the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP). Under the new plans, chronic pain, terminal illness and hospice care would become qualifying conditions for eligibility. Newsweek has contacted Patrick and Oliverson's offices for comment outside of regular working hours. Marijuana plants being grown in Manchaca, Texas. Marijuana plants being grown in Manchaca, Texas. Eric Gay/AP Why It Matters The dual-track legislative push represents a significant shift for Texas, which could soon have some of the strictest THC product bans in the U.S., while also increasing access to medical marijuana for select patients. A poll from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs indicated that more than 60 percent of Texas residents support legalizing marijuana. What To Know On Wednesday last week, the State House voted to ban all consumable THC hemp products. If Senate Bill 3 is signed into law, the TCUP will become the only way for people in the state to access THC products. House Bill 46 is now being pushed forward by lawmakers, as it would expand the number of people eligible for the medical marijuana program. Lieutenant Governor Patrick said on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday that he and Representative Oliverson would be expanding licenses to 12 new dispensary organizations across the state. He added that they would look to add satellite locations in each public health region of the state "for the first time ever," meaning patients would have improved access to the program. In House Bill 46, people with glaucoma, degenerative disc disease and honorably discharged veterans would also be among the individuals eligible for medical marijuana. Lawmakers now face mounting pressure to move the House bill forward, as SB 3 is getting closer to being signed into law. What People Are Saying Lieutenant Governor Patrick wrote in a post on X on Monday: "The Senate and my concern has always been that we don't want to go back to the days of doctors writing prescriptions for anyone who paid them for a prescription for pain pills. "The Texas Medical Board has put in strong guidelines to prevent that from happening over the last decade. Dr. Oliverson presented a new thoughtful plan that the Senate and I can support that will help those in true need of relief. "I thank Dr. Oliverson for working with the Senate to find a truly amazing expansion of TCUP for those in need of help." What Happens Next House Bill 46 is continuing to progress through the legislative process, but is still a number of steps behind Senate Bill 3.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas Lt. Gov. announces compassionate use expansion amid THC ban
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced Sunday that an expansion for compassionate use is moving forward, as Texas' ban on THC products is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk for a signature. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted on X Sunday evening, saying he and Rep. Tom Oliverson 'have come to an agreement on add chronic pain as a qualifying medical condition to TCUP (compassionate use program) for those who suffer chronic pain as currently defined by the Texas Medical Board rules.' Senate Bill 3 bans all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — the part of cannabis plants that induce the 'high.' MORE: Texas House bans THC products, reduces criminal penalty for possessing intoxicating hemp Critics argued that the ban will hurt chronic pain sufferers who rely on low-THC products for relief. Patrick's post said he and the authors of House Bill 46, which establishes registration rules for medical THC use, had a 'positive conversation' and they 'look forward to passing this bill for our veterans and those who suffer from chronic pain.' 'The Senate and my concern has always been that we don't want to go back to the days of doctors writing prescriptions for anyone who paid them for a prescription for pain pills,' Patrick wrote, in part. 'Dr. Oliverson presented a new thoughtful plan that the Senate and I can support that will help those in true need of relief.' Patrick said the state will expand licenses from the current number of three, to 12, adding satellite locations in each public health region. He said terminal illness and hospice care have been added as qualifying medical conditions for the compassionate use program and dosage allotments have been increased and standardized. Patrick said this will give 'physicians autonomy to prescribe the right dose for each patient's needs, along with metered dose inhalation delivery systems.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas THC ban: SB3 sent to Gov. Abbott for approval
The Brief The Texas Legislature has sent Senate Bill 3 to Gov. Abbott's desk for approval. The bill would ban all THC products in the state. Non-intoxicating CBD and CBG would still be allowed. AUSTIN - A bill banning THC products in the state of Texas is headed to Governor Greg Abbott's desk. On Sunday, the Texas Senate agreed to changes to Senate Bill 3 made by the House. The bill passed by a 25-6 vote. Dig deeper SB 3 will ban all cannabinoids in consumable hemp products except CBD and CBG. Businesses in the state were allowed to sell THC products after a 2019 expansion of the hemp industry in Texas opened a loophole. Those products included THC-laced edibles, drinks, vapes and more. SB 3 was passed by the Senate before being amended in the House, and was passed to its third and final reading earlier this week. Small business owners lead the pack in opposition of the bill. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a major proponent of the proposal, believes the thousands of businesses peddling the products are a detriment to the state. Owners and employees of those smoke and vape stores, on the other hand, are concerned about the loss of business, revenue and a fortune in tax dollars. More than 8,000 retailers in the state sell THC products, according to estimates. What's next The bill now goes to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for approval. If signed by the governor, the law would take effect in September. The bill does not put an end to Texas' Compassionate Use Program, which allows for medicinal marijuana for a limited number of conditions. House Bill 46 looked to expand those conditions. On Sunday night, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced he struck a deal with Rep. Tom Oliverson to include chronic pain as one of the conditions. Patients in hospice and with a terminal illness would also be included. The bill would also increase the number of licensed medical marijuana dispensers. The Source Information in this article comes from the Texas Legislature, statements made by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and analysis of Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 46.
