Texas Advances Medical Cannabis Expansion With Nine Conditional License Selections

1 December 2025

The Texas Department of Public Safety has moved ahead with the first phase of new license selections under the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP). Nine companies were chosen for conditional approval and will now face further review before any final licenses are issued.

The selections mark Phase I of a two-step process created under House Bill 46. The law directs state officials to issue a total of 12 new medical cannabis dispensing licenses across Texas.

For now, none of the selected companies can grow, make, or sell medical cannabis products. Each must first pass added checks tied to finances, past lawsuits, and any regulatory or criminal history. State officials indicated that fees will not be billed until those reviews are complete.

Conditionally Selected TCUP Applicants by Region

The nine companies moving forward, along with their public health regions, are listed below:

• Region 1: Trulieve TX, Inc.
• Region 2: Dilatso, LLC
• Region 3: Texas Patient Access, LLC
• Region 3: Lonestar Compassionate Care Group, LLC
• Region 6: PC TX OPCO LLC, operating as PharmaCann
• Region 6: Story of Texas, LLC
• Region 8: Lone Star Bioscience, Inc.
• Region 10: Verano Texas, LLC
• Region 11: Texa OP, operating as TexaRx

State officials said conditional status does not mean approval is guaranteed. If any applicant fails the next stage of review, the license may be denied.

What House Bill 46 Changes for Texas Medical Cannabis

House Bill 46 expanded the number of medical cannabis dispensing licenses allowed in Texas. The law calls for nine licenses in Phase I and three more by April 1, 2026.

Texas has long operated one of the most limited medical cannabis programs in the country. Patient access is often shaped by travel distance, supply limits, and low competition. The new licenses may ease some of those pressures, though access is still likely to remain narrower than in many other states.

How the Texas Compassionate Use Program Works

The Texas Compassionate Use Program began in 2015 after Senate Bill 339 became law. The program is overseen by the Department of Public Safety rather than a health agency.

Under the program, approved doctors use the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas, known as CURT, to enter prescriptions for patients with qualifying medical conditions. Only low-THC cannabis products are allowed. All licensed dispensers are subject to site visits, product testing rules, and security standards.

What This Could Mean for Texas Patients

If all nine firms clear the review process and the final three licenses are issued in Phase II, more Texans may gain closer access to medical cannabis over the next few years. The change may reduce travel times for some patients, though product options will still be limited by state law.

At this stage, the timeline for full approval remains uncertain. State officials said the next phase of reviews will take place over the coming months.