Cannabis Regulations in Houston, TX (2026)
7 verified cannabis regulations for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Home Cultivation
Home cultivation of marijuana is illegal in Houston and throughout Texas. Possession of any amount of marijuana is a criminal offense under the Texas Controlled Substances Act. Texas does not allow home cultivation for medical or recreational purposes.
Houston Home Cannabis Cultivation Laws
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121
Sec. 481.121. OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA. (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is:(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less;(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four ou...
Dispensary Zoning
Cannabis dispensaries are not permitted in Houston. Texas allows only a limited number of licensed compassionate-use dispensing organizations statewide under the Compassionate Use Act. Houston has no zoning code, and recreational cannabis remains illegal statewide.
Houston Cannabis Dispensary Zoning
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121
Sec. 481.121. OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA. (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is:(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less;(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four ou...
Buffer Zones
Houston has no cannabis dispensary buffer-zone rules because Texas does not authorize recreational dispensaries. Compassionate Use Program (CUP) sites operate as low-volume medical providers with no statewide school or daycare buffer mandate. Hemp/CBD retailers are treated as ordinary commercial uses.
No Cannabis Dispensary Buffer Zones in Houston
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121
Sec. 481.121. OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA. (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is:(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less;(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four ou...
Cannabis Delivery Rules
Texas prohibits all recreational cannabis delivery. Compassionate Use Program low-THC products may be delivered to qualifying patients only by the three licensed dispensing organizations. Hemp-derived products under 0.3% delta-9 THC may be delivered legally under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 122.
Cannabis Delivery Prohibited Statewide; Hemp/CBD Delivery Allowed
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 487.104
Sec. 487.104. ISSUANCE, RENEWAL, OR DENIAL OF LICENSE. (a) The department shall issue or renew a license to operate as a dispensing organization only if:(1) the department determines the applicant meets the eligibility requirements described by Section 487.102; and(2) issuance or renewal of the license is necessary to ensure reasonable statewide access to, and the availability of, low-THC canna...
Personal Cultivation Limits
Texas prohibits personal cannabis cultivation entirely. Houston cannot authorize home grows under home-rule authority while state law treats marijuana possession and manufacture as criminal offenses. Hemp cultivation requires a Texas Department of Agriculture license and is not a personal-grow exception.
Home Cannabis Cultivation Prohibited in Texas
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121
Sec. 481.121. OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA. (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is:(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less;(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four ou...
Commercial Cannabis Zoning
Houston has no traditional zoning code, so cannabis-style commercial siting rules do not exist. Recreational cannabis retail is illegal statewide. Hemp-derived CBD retailers operate under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 122 plus Houston Chapter 28 building rules and any private deed restrictions on the parcel.
No Houston Zoning; Hemp Retail Sits Under Deed Restrictions
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 443.204
Sec. 443.204. RULES RELATED TO SALE OF CONSUMABLE HEMP PRODUCTS. Rules adopted by the executive commissioner regulating the sale of consumable hemp products must to the extent allowable by federal law reflect the following principles:(1) hemp-derived cannabinoids, including cannabidiol, are not considered controlled substances or adulterants;(2) products containing one or more hemp-derived cann...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Cannabis Regulations in Harris County →
Social Equity Licensing
Texas has no recreational cannabis program, so Houston cannot create a social-equity license. The narrow Compassionate Use Program (CUP) licenses three statewide dispensing organizations on a competitive merit basis, with no equity preference for prior-conviction, minority, or low-income applicants.
No Cannabis Social-Equity Licensing in Texas or Houston
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 487.102