Texas Statewide Rule

Texas Allows Only Licensed Compassionate-Use Dispensaries

Heavy RestrictionsApplies statewide across Texas (2026)

Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 487 limits cannabis dispensing to a small number of state-licensed Compassionate Use Program providers. There are no recreational dispensaries anywhere in Texas, and cities cannot license additional ones.

Key Facts

Statute: TX HSC Ch. 487
Recreational dispensaries: Prohibited
Licensed CUP operators: Statewide, very limited
Regulator: Texas DPS

Source: Texas Statutes

Full Breakdown

Chapter 487 of the Texas Health & Safety Code created the Compassionate Use Program (CUP), administered by the Department of Public Safety. Only licensed dispensing organizations may cultivate, process, and dispense low-THC cannabis to patients with qualifying conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, ALS, and certain cancers. Texas has issued just a handful of licenses statewide, and these dispensaries deliver products to patients across the state rather than operating retail storefronts in every city. Recreational dispensaries are illegal. Local zoning may apply to a CUP licensee's facility, but cities cannot authorize unlicensed cannabis retail.

Violations & Penalties

Operating an unlicensed cannabis dispensary is a felony controlled-substance offense under Chapter 481, with penalties scaling by quantity and prior offenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there recreational cannabis dispensaries in Texas?

No. Texas has not legalized recreational cannabis. Only Compassionate Use Program dispensaries licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety may sell low-THC cannabis to qualifying patients.

Can my city license its own dispensary?

No. Licensing is exclusively a state function under Chapter 487. Cities can only apply standard zoning rules to an already-licensed CUP facility — they cannot create local cannabis licenses.

Sources

TX Health & Safety Code Ch. 487

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Full Breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there recreational cannabis dispensaries in Texas?

No. Texas has not legalized recreational cannabis. Only Compassionate Use Program dispensaries licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety may sell low-THC cannabis to qualifying patients.

Can my city license its own dispensary?

No. Licensing is exclusively a state function under Chapter 487. Cities can only apply standard zoning rules to an already-licensed CUP facility — they cannot create local cannabis licenses.