Parker County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Parker County?

Yes. The State of Texas Compassionate Use Act legalized the cultivation of low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis for medical purposes in Parker County effective 2015, and this was further expanded by amendments in 2019 and 2021. According to the Texas Occupations Code Chapter 169 Section 169.001, low-THC cannabis must have not more than 1% content of THC according to weight. Counties and their municipalities are prohibited by Section 487.201 of the Texas Compassionate Use Act from disallowing the licensed cultivation of low-THC medical cannabis.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regulatory Services Division (RSD) is responsible for the Compassionate Use Program (CUP) which regulates and licenses low-THC medical cannabis statewide.

The medical cannabis dispensing organization license issued by the RSD is the only low-THC medical cannabis business license available. According to the Texas Administrative Code Chapter 12, it authorizes low-THC medical cannabis cultivation, product manufacturing, and retail sales exclusively to patients and caregivers listed in the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT). A licensee may only operate one facility location where all low-THC medical cannabis activities take place. The RSD, however, stopped accepting applications for the medical cannabis dispensing organization license after April 28, 2023.

RSD registration is required for the managers, employees, and directors of licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations. The licensee’s medical cannabis facility must be located at a distance of at least 1,000 feet from a school or daycare facility.

Compliance with the Texas Agriculture Code and Administrative Code Title 4 Part 1 of the Texas Department of Agriculture is mandatory for all licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations. In accordance with the Texas Administrative Code’s Rule §12.31, all cultivation, product manufacturing, and storage of low-THC medical cannabis must occur indoors. The building must be enclosed fully, have either no windows or windows with security grills, and have metal doors with strong locks.

A fire prevention and security system compliant with the requirements of the local government must be put in place by every licensed medical cannabis dispensing organization in its facility. The fire prevention and security system must have sensors and alarms that immediately alert the county or municipality authorities to any emergency for a prompt response. It must have video camera surveillance that records continuously, with footage saved for at least 90 days. The system must be able to run for at least five minutes during a power outage.

Only authorized employees must be allowed to enter the areas for cultivation and manufacturing inside a licensed medical cannabis dispensing organization facility, and only within working hours. Any guest accepted into the facility must be asked to wear a visitor’s badge and be accompanied by an employee for the duration of the visit. The time and date of their arrival and exit must be logged. After the facility’s business hours, no low-THC medical cannabis of any form must be visible to the public.

When the facility of the licensed medical cannabis dispensing organization is sharing a building with other businesses, it must be totally closed off and inaccessible from the other businesses. The medical cannabis facility entrance must be exclusive to it and allow direct access from the outside.

An inventory tracking system must be set up by the licensed medical cannabis dispensing organization facility for the monitoring of stock levels and transfers of all forms of low-THC medical cannabis. All relevant state and local regulations must be observed when handling and disposing of medical cannabis waste matter.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Parker County?

Yes. The Compassionate Use Act of the State of Texas and its amendments legalized the manufacturing in Parker County of low-THC medical cannabis products, but this activity is only authorized by the RSD for licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations. The Act prevents counties and municipalities from banning the licensed manufacturing of low-THC medical cannabis products.

Texas Administrative Code Chapter 12.7 has the following directives concerning the manufacturing process of low-THC medical cannabis products:

1. Comply with all codes related to buildings, businesses, occupancy, air quality, electricals, fire safety, plumbing, odors, noise, advertising, and any nuisances on the federal, county, municipal, and state levels.
2. Use only potable water.
3. Get a certification from a professional state-licensed engineer that the low-THC medical cannabis extraction system to be used is safe and was commercially produced under sound engineering standards.
4. Hire properly trained personnel registered with the RSD to do low-THC medical cannabis extraction.
5. Ensure that all low-THC medical cannabis products undergo testing to determine levels of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) and possible contaminants according to the requirements of the Texas Department of Agriculture Administrative Code Title 4 Part 1, the Texas Agriculture Code, and the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 16, Part 1107.
6. Use only child-resistant packaging for all low-THC medical cannabis products.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Parker County?

Yes. The retail sale to CURT-registered patients and caregivers in Parker County of low-THC medical cannabis and low-THC medical cannabis products was legalized by the amended Compassionate Use Act of the State of Texas, but the RSD only allows medical cannabis dispensing organization licensees to have medical cannabis dispensaries. According to the Act, no county or municipality may prohibit this activity.

On top of the previously discussed security protocols for licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations, the surveillance video cameras in their retailing area must be in a position to catch the faces of all purchasers.

Licensed medical cannabis dispensaries are prohibited from selling forms of low-THC medical cannabis that are for smoking because this is not an accepted method of using medical cannabis under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 169 Sec. 169.001. All other forms of low-THC medical cannabis and low-THC medical cannabis products with a THC cap of 0.5% and a minimum CBD content of 10% are allowed.

The Compassionate Use Act’s Section 487.107 requires the following sales protocols from licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations:

1. Verify the CURT registration of the patient or caregiver by comparing the last name, date of birth, and last five social security number digits on the valid government-issued ID with data on the registry.
2. Verify on the patient’s CURT prescription if the type and quantity of low-THC medical cannabis and low-THC medical cannabis products to be purchased are allowed.
3. Verify through the CURT records that the prescription is still open for filling for the period.
4. After the sale, record on the CURT the types, quantities, and selling prices of the low-THC medical cannabis and low-THC medical cannabis products purchased by the registered patient or caregiver.
5. Record on the CURT the purchase date and time.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Parker County?

Yes. The RSD allows the delivery of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products by medical cannabis dispensing organizations to CURT-registered patients and caregivers in Parker County.

Licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations are required by Texas Administrative Code Rule §12.32 to equip the delivery vehicle with a security system and ensure that it has an attached lockable compartment that only the delivery employee has access to.

The following delivery protocols are required from licensed medical cannabis dispensing organizations:

1. Prepare the trip plan prior to delivery, including the identity of the delivery employee, the delivery address, the planned route, the types and quantities of low-THC medical cannabis for delivery, and the time the delivery leaves the facility.
2. Upon completing the delivery, the trip plan must be updated with any changes made to the information above, and the time of delivery completion.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Parker County

Residents of Parker County who need medical cannabis treatment will not be issued medical cannabis cards. They only need to be registered in the CURT. Registration is free but can only be done by a CUP-registered physician after a patient is diagnosed to have one of the following illnesses:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Incurable neurodegenerative diseases
• Seizure disorders
• Autism
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cancer
• Spasticity
• Multiple sclerosis
• Epilepsy

The physician search online showed that, as of July 2023, there were two qualified physicians in Parker County, with one in the City of Weatherford and one in the Town of Brock.

For a patient below 18 or an incapacitated adult patient, the physician will indicate in the CURT registration the need for a caregiver. From the patient’s and caregiver’s valid government-issued IDs, the physician will register their names, dates of birth, and their social security number’s last five digits.

The following may be reached for further queries:

Texas Department of Public Safety

Compassionate Use Program - MSC 0240

PO Box 4087

Austin, TX 78773-0240

Landline: (512) 424-7293

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Parker County?

The State of Texas has had three medical cannabis dispensing organization licensees from 2019 to 2022, as reported in the DPS Annual Reports of FY 2019, FY 2020, FY 2021, and FY 2022. The Texas Administrative Code Rule §12.14 charges each licensee a $7,356 application fee, a $488,520 license fee valid for two years, and a $530 registration fee. The license renewal fee after two years is $318,511, while the registration renewal fee is $530.

The expanded Texas Compassionate Use Act has no mention of taxes on low-THC medical cannabis and low-THC medical cannabis products.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Parker County

Low-THC medical cannabis was legalized in Parker County in 2015.

Data sent by the Parker County Sheriff's Office to the Crime Explorer page of the FBI shows that in 2014, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 58 marijuana possession arrests and seven marijuana sales arrests, totaling 65 marijuana offense arrests.

In 2016, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 63 marijuana possession arrests and two marijuana sales arrests, totaling 65 marijuana offense arrests.

In 2019, there were 44 marijuana possession arrests and four marijuana sales arrests, totaling 48 marijuana offense arrests.

In 2021, the latest data showed 23 marijuana possession arrests and one marijuana sales arrest, totaling 24 marijuana offense arrests.

In those years, the number of DUI arrests was as follows:

• 2014: 14 arrests
• 2016: 19 arrests
• 2019: 25 arrests
• 2021: 9 arrests