In a move that could reshape the state’s approach to medical cannabis, Texas lawmakers approved House Bill 46 during this year’s regular session. The bill’s passage has already begun to ripple through the Compassionate Use Program, the industry’s licensing framework, and retail operations across the state.
House Bill 46: What It Means
House Bill 46 increased the number of licenses available to dispensing organizations by 12, expanded the program’s eligibility to include chronic pain conditions, and permitted dispensaries to store product in satellite locations. These provisions were designed to reduce patient wait times and broaden the patient base. The legislation also allows licensed growers to keep inventory in secured vaults at retail sites overnight, a change that will directly affect how products are delivered to patients.
Growing Demand in the Compassionate Use Program
According to Texas Department of Public Safety data, the Compassionate Use Registry has grown by nearly 15,000 patients since the bill’s passage in June. The Department is currently vetting nine additional companies for new licenses to grow and sell medicinal marijuana. The rapid increase in registered patients suggests that the expanded eligibility and improved logistics are already making a tangible difference.
Industry Response: Companies Expanding Operations
Texas Original, one of the three licensed businesses, has shifted its entire operation to a 75,000-square-foot facility in Bastrop. CEO Nico Richardson explained, “We were confident with the size of Texas and where the rest of the country was in terms of having medical cannabis accessible to patients in need, that the Texas program was going to dramatically grow over time.” The company now handles every step-from cultivation to extraction, manufacturing, and testing-under one roof.
Goodblend, another licensed firm, opened its first retail shop in San Antonio on Tuesday. The store occupies a strip-mall space that previously served as a pickup location. Prior to the new law, patients had to call Goodblend one or two days in advance to schedule a pickup. The company would then transport the order from its Austin base to the pickup site, only to return the product if a patient missed the appointment. “Any patient that didn’t make it in – for whatever reason because life happens – we’d have to drive that back all the way at the end of the day,” Texas Market President Nick Fallon said. The new legislation now permits Goodblend and other companies to keep product in a secured vault at the retail location overnight, eliminating the need for patients to call ahead.
Retail Shift: Goodblend’s New Model
With the updated rules, customers can now walk into the San Antonio shop and purchase items directly, rather than scheduling a pickup. Alicia Warr, a TCUP patient who has used the program for several years, praised the change. “To be able to just come to one specific building and one specific location is great and it’s so much more convenient,” she said. Goodblend plans to open a second retail shop in Plano early next year, further expanding its reach.
Texas’ Hemp Industry in Limbo
While the medicinal marijuana framework is expanding, the state’s hemp industry faces uncertainty. Texas lawmakers attempted to ban intoxicating hemp products alongside the TCUP expansion, but Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the ban. Instead, he directed state agencies to regulate these products, leaving the federal ban on intoxicating hemp in a pending state. This regulatory tug-of-war highlights the complex relationship between state and federal policies on cannabis-related products.
Key Takeaways
- House Bill 46 added 12 new dispensing licenses, broadened eligibility to chronic pain, and allowed satellite storage.
- The Compassionate Use Registry has grown by nearly 15,000 patients since June, and nine new companies are under license review.
- Texas Original and Goodblend are expanding operations, with Goodblend opening a retail location that now stores product overnight.
The changes ushered in by House Bill 46 signal a significant shift in how Texas approaches medical cannabis. With increased licensing, broader patient eligibility, and more efficient retail practices, the state is positioning itself to meet growing demand while navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Closing
As Texas continues to refine its cannabis policies, the impact of House Bill 46 will likely be felt across the industry and among patients. The expansion of the Compassionate Use Program, the growth of licensed companies, and the new retail model all point to a future where access to medicinal marijuana in Texas is more streamlined and patient-friendly than ever before.
