Dallas, TX Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer rule
- None in TX or Dallas
- CUP sites
- Three statewide; no buffer mandate
- CBD retailers
- Standard commercial zoning only
- Authority
- TX H&S Code Ch. 487
- Severity
- Permissive: no rule exists
Summary
Dallas has no recreational cannabis dispensary buffer-zone rules because Texas does not allow recreational dispensaries. Compassionate Use Program (CUP) sites operate statewide with no school or daycare buffer mandate in state law; Dallas zoning treats CUP sites as ordinary medical uses.
Sec. 481.134. DRUG-FREE ZONES. (a) In this section:(1) "Minor" means a person who is younger than 18 years of age.(2) "Institution of higher education" means any public or private technical institute, junior college, senior college or university, medical or dental unit, or other agency of higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code.(3) "Playground" means any outdoor facility that is not on the premises of a school and that:(A) is intended for recreation;(B) is open to the public; and(C) contains three or more play stations intended for the recreation of children, such as slides, swing sets, and teeterboards.(4) "Premises" means real property and all buildings and appurtenances pertaining to the real property.(5) "School" means a private or public elementary or secondar...
Full Breakdown
Cannabis buffer zones in legalization states typically require dispensaries to sit 500 to 1,000 feet from schools, daycares, churches, or parks. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 487 governing the Compassionate Use Program does not impose statewide sensitive-use buffers on the three licensed dispensing organizations, since they operate as low-volume medical providers, not retail storefronts. Dallas City Code Chapter 51A development standards regulate medical and pharmacy uses generically without cannabis-specific buffers. With no recreational dispensary framework legal in Texas, Dallas City Council cannot adopt buffer rules for storefronts that do not exist. CBD-only retailers selling hemp products under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 122 face standard commercial zoning rules with no buffer mandate.
Violations & Fines
Not applicable. Without recreational dispensaries, no buffer-zone enforcement mechanism exists. CBD retailers face standard zoning enforcement under Dallas Code Ch. 51A administrative procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a dispensary be from a Dallas school?
Do CBD shops have buffer zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Dallas to another location·View the Texas cannabis regulations overview
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