Compassionate Use Program Participants
Texans enrolled in the Compassionate Use Program can now access medical cannabis vaporization products for the first time. The new inhalable option offers qualifying patients a fast-acting alternative to traditional forms of medical cannabis, such as tinctures and gummies.
Texas Original, the state’s first Texas-based medical marijuana dispensary, recently launched medical marijuana vaporization devices, expanding the treatment options available to qualifying patients.
How to access medical cannabis vaporization
Texans interested in learning more can schedule an appointment with a physician registered in the Texas Compassionate Use Program to determine whether they qualify for a prescription.
If approved, the physician will write a prescription that is submitted digitally, allowing patients to access medical cannabis often the same day without waiting for a physical medical marijuana card.
Patients can place an order or pick up their medicine at one of Texas Original's locations across the state. New patients receive 20 percent off their first order, and veterans and first responders receive 20 percent off every purchase.
What to know about medical marijuana vaporization in Texas
Unlike edibles or tinctures, vaporization delivers medical cannabis through inhalation. Because vaporized cannabis is absorbed through the lungs rather than the digestive system, patients may feel effects within minutes. This can be especially beneficial for individuals managing sudden or breakthrough symptoms.
Texas Original medical vaporization devices are made to deliver consistent dosing in a simple format. Each inhalation delivers a measured dose of 3–5 milligrams of THC, helping patients administer medical cannabis more consistently and predictably. Texas Original's vaporization cartridges are available in three strain varieties:
How medical cannabis became legal in Texas
Medical cannabis has been legal in Texas since the Compassionate Use Act passed in 2015. In 2025, House Bill 46 marked the largest expansion in the program since its creation, broadening patient access by adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition and authorizing new product formats, including vaporization devices.
Who can access medical cannabis in Texas?
Texans living with one of the program’s qualifying conditions may be eligible for a medical cannabis prescription. Conditions include chronic pain, PTSD, neuropathy, spasticity, epilepsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and many others. A physician registered with the Compassionate Use Program can determine eligibility during a consultation.
The introduction of medical cannabis vaporization products marks another milestone in the evolution of Texas' Compassionate Use Program. As patient access continues to expand, Texans now have more options than ever to work with their physicians to find a treatment approach that fits their needs.
To see if you qualify, schedule an appointment today.
Light Rail News
Austin’s multibillion-dollar light rail system is advancing toward construction, and some local businesses along the proposed route are preparing for relocation. Among them is the 1972 Women’s Sports Pub, a year‑old establishment on The Drag that has quickly become a gathering place for women’s sports fans.
Co-owner Debra Hallum said the pub was founded with a commitment to showing only women’s sports on its TVs.
"It was from our heart to do something in the community for, again, women putting women on the pedestal, giving them a space of their own,” Hallum said.
But the business is now facing displacement as Project Connect moves into its next phase in the light rail project.
Hallum told KVUE that the pub recently received a letter from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) stating the property is needed for the proposed transit project. The site sits in the path of planned changes to Guadalupe and Dean Keeton streets as part of the light rail design.
When signing a four-year lease, Hallum said the pub understood relocation was a possibility but didn’t anticipate it happening so soon.
“We're told that we will get a letter to vacate any day. We're still in limbo,” she said. “We've not received that letter. So, we are waiting.”
Hallum said while the pub will receive relocation assistance to help cover moving costs, it is fundraising to bridge additional expenses, including payroll. She noted that recent changes to U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan eligibility – requiring 100 percent U.S. citizenship among owners — have cut the pub off from a key source of support.
“That’s been our biggest gut punch,” Hallum said. “I mean, that’s what SBA funding and loans are for, is to help your small, local businesses, you know, get started and get established.”
Where the rail project stands
Approved by voters in 2020, Austin’s light rail system aims to reduce congestion and expand transit options across the city. The ATP said the project is progressing through major milestones, including the release of its final environmental impact statement, critical to secure billions of dollars in federal funding and begin construction. That report, based on a May 2025 design, estimates the project will require about 85 acres of land and displace 71 businesses.
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Read the full story at our news partner KVUE.com.