Compassionate Use Program – Cannabis and the Law of Texas: In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed the Compassionate-Use Act. The Act allows the first legal use of low-THC medical marijuana products in the state for patients with intractable epilepsy. The Act was expanded by the Texas Legislature in the year 2019 and 2021 to include other conditions.

The Texas Compassionate Use Act establishes guidelines that allow physicians who are registered on the Texas Compassionate Use Registry to prescribe medical cannabis to patients with qualifying conditions.

Compassionate Use Program Texas

The Texas Legislature expanded the list of patients eligible for inclusion. At present, Texas passed the Compassionate-Use Act is open to patients with the following conditions listed in Texas Occupations Code Section 169.003:

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

As of June 2021, the Compassionate Use Program expanded the list of medical conditions to include all forms of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as qualifying conditions. The maximum level of THC has also been raised from 0.5% to 1% through the passage of the HB 1525 bill.

For patients, the passage and expansion of the Compassionate Use Program (CUP) mean that patients with qualifying conditions can now have access to a new prescription to address their conditions through physicians who are registered on the Texas Compassionate Use Registry.

For marijuana doctors and physicians, the Texas Compassionate Use Act provides them with another; more natural medicine and the legal backing to enable them to treat their patients and address some of the most severe conditions they’re experiencing.

Compassionate Use Registry of Texas Marijuana Doctors

The Compassionate-Use registry of Texas marijuana doctors contains participating medical marijuana doctors or physicians in the Compassionate-Use program. You can search the Compassionate User Registry of Texas to find a participating physician in your area that can prescribe low-THC cannabis. When you search, results display different physicians who have granted permission to publish their information.

You can search by Country, City, or Zipcode. When searching by city or zip code, at least the first 3 letters or numbers are required for search results to display accurately. Search results will be displayed exactly as information was entered by registering physicians.

Texas Compassionate Use Program Enrollment

Texas Compassionate Use Program Enrollment

The Texas compassionate use program serves Texas residents who are diagnosed with the following conditions:

• All epilepsy and seizure disorders
• All forms of cancer
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Multiple sclerosis
• Cerebral palsy
• Spasticity
• Autism
• Peripheral neuropathies
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Huntington’s disease, and
• Other incurable neurological disorders

Enrolling in the Texas Compassionate-Use Programs

Enrolling in the Texas Compassionate-Use Programs

In order to prescribe low-THC cannabis, physicians must be qualified with respect to a patient’s particular medical condition.

Under Texas law, a physician is qualified under Texas Compassionate-Use Program if:

1. The physician is licensed under the Texas Compassionate-Use Program.
2. The physician is board-certified in a medical specialty relevant to the treatment of the patient’s particular medical condition by a specialty board approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists; and
3. If the physician dedicates a significant portion of clinical practice to the evaluation and treatment of the patient’s particular medical condition.

Moreover, qualified physicians who wish to prescribe low-THC cannabis to qualifying patients must register in the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT). The following information must be included by a physician during registration:

• The physician’s name
• The patient’s name and date of birth
• The dosage prescribed to the patient
• The means of administration ordered for the patient; and
• The total amount of low-THC cannabis required to fill the patient’s prescription

Once registered in CURT, a qualified physician may then prescribe low-THC cannabis. The dispensing organizations can then search for the patient in the system and dispense the medication according to the prescription.

The Physician Registry will provide a list of physicians who specialize in each condition and are also qualified to diagnose and register patients in the program.

Some physicians provide telemedicine. Telemedicine is ideal for patients with an existing diagnosis, or patients who do not live near a registered physician and need a diagnosis.

Informed Texas provides a free tutorial that covers what cannabis and the endocannabinoid system that are available medications. The tutorial also covers an online telemedicine walkthrough.

Texas Compassionate Use Act Dispensaries

The Texas Compassionate-Use Act established requirements for the licensing and registration of dispensaries that provide low-THC cannabis to qualified patients.

It allows qualified physicians to prescribe low-THC cannabis to certain patients with incurable neurodegenerative diseases. Low-THC cannabis is a cannabis plant or derivative that contains less than 1% of THC by weight.

Texas compassionate use act 2021

Texas compassionate use act 2021

As of June 2021, the Texas Compassionate Use Program expanded the list of medical conditions which are the qualifying conditions for the provision of medical cannabis treatment.

The list of medical conditions was expanded to include all forms of cancer diagnosis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as qualifying conditions. The June 2021 Act, through the passage of the HB 1525 bill, also raised the THC maximum level from 0.5% to 1%.

Texas Compassionate Use Act Qualifications

Texas compassionate use act qualifications for patients include:

1. A patient must be a permanent resident of the state.
2. A patient must be diagnosed with at least one of the qualifying conditions. The qualifying conditions include:

• All forms of epilepsy and other seizure disorders
• Autism and other spectrum disorders
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Spasticity
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Terminal Cancer
• All forms of Cancer
• Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Huntington’s Disease
• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
• Over 100 other incurable neurodegenerative diseases

3. The qualified physician will determine the benefit and risks of the medical use of low-THC cannabis by a patient.

There are no statutory limitations on the age of the patient. Also, the patients don’t have to register or pay a fee.

Texas Compassionate Use Act Expansion

In 2015, Texas passed the Compassionate-Use Act, which allowed the use of low-THC cannabis products in the state for patients with intractable epilepsy.

In June 2019, House Bill 3703 was passed. The bill expanded the eligible conditions for low-THC CBD treatments to over 100 medical conditions affecting over 2 million Texans. The passage of the bill also removed the approval of a second physician before medical cannabis can be prescribed to patients. House Bill 3703 allowed only one physician to prescribe medical cannabis.

The Compassionate Use Act was further expanded in June 2021. The Compassionate Use Act expanded the list of medical conditions to include all forms of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as qualifying conditions. The maximum level of THC has also been raised from 0.5% to 1% through the passage of the HB 1525 bill.

For patients, the passage and expansion of the Compassionate Use Program (CUP) mean that patients with qualifying conditions can now have access to a new prescription to address their conditions through physicians who are registered on the Texas Compassionate Use Registry.

For marijuana doctors and physicians, the Texas Compassionate Use Act provides them with another; more natural medicine and the legal backing to enable them to treat their patients and address some of the most severe conditions they’re experiencing.

How to Navigate Texas’ Medical Marijuana Laws

How to Navigate Texas’ Medical Marijuana Laws

You’re eligible for medical marijuana if you have any qualifying conditions such as epilepsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, all forms of Cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Huntington’s Disease, etc.

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