Texas medical cannabis finally poised to boom, but one major obstacle remains

OG article by MJBizDaily Staff

January 15, 2026

Texas' medical marijuana program, known as the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), is positioned for major growth in 2026 after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 46 in June 2025. This expanded eligibility to include chronic pain and terminal illnesses, with provisions for adding conditions without new laws. Allowed products now feature up to 10 mg THC per dose (max 1,000 mg per package), including oils, topicals, patches, suppositories, and inhalers—though smokable flower is banned. Dispensing organization licenses rose from three to 15, with issuance by April 1, 2026. Patient numbers hit 135,470 by late 2025, up 32% year-over-year, but still under 0.5% of the state's population versus a 2.1% national average. Multistate operators like Trulieve and Verano gained conditional approvals, with expansions like Texas Original's large facility boosting production. Challenges persist from the competing $5 billion hemp-derived THC market, facing a federal ban in November 2026 and proposed state restrictions.