IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF TEXAS, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL STATE SENATOR AND URGE HIM/HER TO OPPOSE EXPANDING THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM - HB 46 / SB 1505

Legislative Alert: House Bill 46 - Medical Marijuana expansion passes Texas House

 

By Corky Schalchlin

Texas Narcotic Officers Association

May 14, 2025

 

                     

 

TNOA Members,

We want to bring to your attention a significant legislative development that could have major implications for law enforcement across the state. On Tuesday, House Bill 46—a bipartisan measure aimed at dramatically expanding Texas’s medical marijuana program—passed the Texas House on a 122–21 vote. The bill now moves to the Senate, where its companion bill, Senate Bill 1505, awaits consideration.

As members of the Texas Narcotic Officers Association, it is important that we stay informed and engaged on legislation that directly impacts public safety, drug enforcement, and regulatory oversight.

Summary of HB 46

If enacted, this legislation would:

• Expand the list of qualifying conditions to include chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, traumatic brain injury, degenerative disc disease, and more.

• Grant military veterans access to medical cannabis for any medical condition.

• Allow cannabis products in a variety of forms such as patches, suppositories, lotions, inhalers, and vaping devices.

• Remove the 1.2-gram possession cap and let physicians set dosage.

• Require the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to issue at least 11 dispensary licenses statewide, with the option for satellite locations.

• Integrate medical cannabis recommendations into the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

TNOA Concerns

While we support compassionate care for qualified patients, we have serious concerns about the broader implications of this bill:

• Product Diversion: Increased access raises the likelihood of cannabis products being diverted for recreational use or falling into the wrong hands.

• Impaired Driving: More widespread usage could increase drug-impaired driving incidents, complicating enforcement on our roads.

• Regulatory Burden: The expansion places significant operational and compliance demands on DPS and DSHS that may outpace available resources.

• Veteran Exemption: Allowing cannabis for “any condition” among veterans lacks the specificity and safeguards seen in other areas of medicine.

• Workplace Enforcement: Broader legal access complicates enforcement of drug-free workplace policies, especially in sensitive professions.

• FDA Oversight: The lack of FDA approval for many cannabis products raises valid medical, ethical, and legal concerns.

Words from TNOA Founding Father Howie Katz

“In my opinion, based on a number of credible European studies, medical marijuana cures are junk science. I believe that instead of expanding the state's medical marijuana program, the law legalizing medical marijuana in Texas should be rescinded.

Medical marijuana is a hoax pushed by the pot advocates because they know that once it becomes law, it will eventually lead to the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.

It’s too late to stop the House from passing HB 46, but it can be killed in the Senate. I would like to have the TNOA members contact their local State Senator and urge him or her to vote against HB 46 when it reaches the Senate.”

We believe the Texas Legislature must approach any expansion of the Compassionate Use Program with caution, transparency, and strong regulatory controls to avoid unintended consequences to public safety and the integrity of our profession.

Call to Action

We strongly urge our members to contact their State Senators and voice your concerns about HB 46 / SB 1505. Your voice as a law enforcement professional carries weight and is essential in shaping responsible and balanced drug policy.