Medical cannabis has been a growing topic across the United States, and Texas is no exception. While the state has traditionally maintained strict cannabis laws, the Texas Compassionate Use Program (CUP) provides qualified patients with access to medical marijuana under carefully regulated guidelines. At Zen Cannabis Clinic, we are dedicated to helping patients understand their options, navigate eligibility, and access safe, legal medical cannabis care.
This guide reflects the program as it stands in 2026, including every change introduced by House Bill 46.
What Is the Texas Compassionate Use Program?
The Texas Compassionate Use Program was established in 2015 through the Compassionate Use Act (Senate Bill 339). It allows patients with certain medical conditions to receive low-THC cannabis prescriptions from registered physicians. These prescriptions are filled by licensed dispensaries across the state. This program was recently expanded to include more medical conditions and to increase the limit of THC in each product.
Unlike recreational programs in other states, Texas CUP is specifically designed for medical purposes only, with strict regulations to ensure patient safety. It is the state’s medical marijuana program in every practical sense, and it has grown fast: as of August 2025, more than 123,308 patients were registered.
The Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT)
The Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) is the secure online system at the heart of the program, administered by the Texas DPS Compassionate Use Program. Registered physicians enter and manage prescriptions in the registry, and licensed dispensaries verify patients electronically before filling them.
The registry is a prescription-based system, not a public database. Access is limited to the department, registered physicians, dispensing organizations, and law enforcement, so your participation stays confidential.
TCUP Timeline: From Senate Bill 339 to House Bill 46
The program has expanded steadily since 2015. Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 339 that year, covering only intractable epilepsy with cannabis capped at 0.5% THC by weight. CURT went live in 2017 alongside the first dispensing organizations. In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3703, adding seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, ALS, autism, terminal cancer, and incurable neurodegenerative diseases, and dropping the two-physician requirement.
The 2021 expansion under House Bill 1535 brought in all cancers and PTSD and raised the cap to 1% THC. Then, on September 1, 2025, House Bill 46 delivered the largest change yet: chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and hospice and palliative care joined the HB 46 expansion of qualifying conditions, the weight-based THC cap was replaced entirely, and satellite dispensing locations were authorized.
Who Qualifies for the Texas CUP? Conditions List After House Bill 46
Eligibility starts with a diagnosis. The full list of qualifying conditions now covers well over 100 recognized diagnoses, including:
- Epilepsy and seizure disorders
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) and spasticity
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Autism
- Cancer
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s
- Traumatic brain injury, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis
- Peripheral neuropathy and nerve pain
- Chronic pain
- Life-limiting illness affecting quality of life (palliative or hospice care)
Your physician must be registered with the CUP and determine that medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment option. A listed diagnosis opens the door for review; the physician makes the medical judgment.
Eligibility Rules: Residency, Age, Minors, and Caregivers
You must be a permanent resident of Texas, and there are no age restrictions in the program. Minors participate through a parent or legal guardian, who acts as caregiver and provides identifying details such as the last five digits of their Social Security number.
The final requirement is clinical: a CUP-registered physician must determine that the benefits of low-THC cannabis outweigh the risks for your specific condition, history, and current treatments. Approval is never automatic.
See If You Qualify for the Texas Compassionate Use Program
If your condition was added under House Bill 46, your answer may have changed. Get evaluated by telemedicine and receive a refund if you do not qualify.
How the Compassionate Use Program Works: 4 Steps From Evaluation to Dispensary
- Physician Consultation: A qualified CUP physician evaluates your condition and discusses whether cannabis may help.
- Prescription Entry: If appropriate, the physician enters your prescription into the state’s secure Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT).
- Dispensary Access: You can then obtain your prescribed medical cannabis products from a licensed Texas dispensary.
- Ongoing Care: Follow-ups with your physician help adjust dosing and monitor your progress.
How to Find CURT-Registered Doctors in Texas
Only registered physicians can prescribe through the program, and they must hold board certification in a specialty relevant to your condition through a board approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Your regular doctor, however experienced, cannot prescribe low-THC cannabis unless they are registered.
Before paying anyone, verify them in the official CURT physician search. It is the fastest way to avoid untrustworthy providers. Dr. Najafi has been a CURT-registered prescriber since 2021.
THC Limits and Product Rules After HB 46
Since September 1, 2025, Texas no longer uses a percentage-by-weight cap. Low-THC cannabis products are now limited to 10 mg of THC per dose and 1,000 mg (1 gram) of THC per package. That shift lets dispensaries formulate more effective doses while keeping the program medically controlled.
Products remain non-smokable: tinctures, gummies, lozenges, and other edibles, plus newly approved pulmonary inhalation devices such as inhalers, nebulizers, and vaporizers used under physician direction. To understand what these cannabinoids actually do in the body, see how THC and CBD work.
Book a Consultation With a CURT-Registered Physician
Get accurate, current guidance from a doctor who works inside the program every day. Book your telemedicine consultation now.
Benefits and Legal Protections of the Texas CUP
- Legal Protection: Patients are legally protected when using cannabis prescribed under TCUP.
- Medical Guidance: Prescriptions are monitored by licensed physicians to ensure safe usage.
- Symptom Relief: Cannabis may help with pain, spasticity, seizures, and other symptoms related to chronic conditions.
The program also shields patients from the risks of unregulated hemp products, because every prescribed product is regulated, tested, and dispensed by licensed organizations.
Patient Privacy, Gun Ownership, and Travel Rules
Registry information is confidential and protected by law. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, participating in the program does not automatically disqualify you from a License to Carry, although federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I substance, which creates unresolved tension with federal firearm rules. Discuss your situation with a legal professional if this affects you.
You may travel within Texas and possess your prescription products anywhere in the state, but crossing state lines with cannabis remains federally illegal, and Texas has no medical card reciprocity with other states.
Texas Compassionate Use Program FAQs
Does Texas have a medical marijuana card?
No. Texas does not use physical cards. Instead, prescriptions are entered in the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT), which dispensaries can access. Our guide on how to get a medical marijuana card in Texas walks through the whole process, and our clinic provides an official letter verifying your registration with the program.
Is recreational marijuana legal in Texas?
No. Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Texas, and the CUP only allows CBD/THC to be prescribed for qualifying medical conditions. The “cannabis” advertised in CBD shops is derived from hemp, contains below 0.3% THC under state law, and is not well regulated, so it could contain fillers that lead to health issues. Here is the full picture on whether marijuana is legal in Texas.
What does “low-THC” mean under the program?
Low-THC once meant no more than 1% THC by weight, but House Bill 46 replaced that rule. Since September 1, 2025, products are capped at 10 mg of THC per dose and 1,000 mg per package. The label still signals the same idea: therapeutic dosing with minimized psychoactive effects, under medical supervision.
How much does the Compassionate Use Program cost?
Texas charges no state fees to patients; there is no application or registration charge. Your only costs are the physician evaluation and the medication itself. At Zen Cannabis Clinic, that means a $150 flat-fee evaluation with free refill requests and a refund if you do not qualify.
Getting Started With the Compassionate Use Program at Zen Cannabis Clinic
If you or a loved one may qualify for the Texas Compassionate Use Program, we are here to guide you every step of the way. The entire process happens by telemedicine with a medical marijuana doctor in Texas, so you can be evaluated, registered in CURT, and connected to a dispensary without leaving home. Many licensed dispensaries offer statewide home delivery. Call us at (214) 646-2936 with any questions.
Why Texans Choose a Board-Certified TCUP Doctor
Dr. Sina Najafi is a board-certified specialist in Internal Medicine and Palliative Care with fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic, which matters when your qualifying condition involves serious illness or end-of-life care. Patients get concierge access by text, call, or email, free refills, and a verification letter for employment or legal needs.
Schedule Your TCUP Evaluation Today
One video visit stands between you and a clear answer. Schedule your evaluation with a physician-led clinic that knows the program inside out.