What Is the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT), and How Does It Work?
Short summary
The Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) is the secure state database that Texas uses to manage medical cannabis prescriptions. Instead of issuing “medical marijuana cards,” Texas requires approved physicians to enter a low-THC cannabis prescription directly into CURT. Dispensaries then verify the patient in CURT using basic identity info (name, date of birth, last 5 of SSN) before dispensing the medicine. CURT is operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) as part of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (CUP).
Introduction
Texas doesn’t hand out “medical marijuana cards” like other states. Instead, it uses a controlled, state-run system called the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas — CURT for short. When a qualified physician decides that low-THC cannabis could help you, they don’t give you a card. They put your prescription directly into CURT. Then any licensed dispensary in Texas can verify you in that system and legally dispense your medication.
That sounds neat and tidy, but it raises a lot of questions for real people: Who actually gets into CURT? Is this only for severe conditions, or can regular patients qualify? How do dispensaries know you’re allowed to buy? Can parents pick up cannabis for their child? Do you have to “apply,” or do you just talk to a doctor and you’re in?
This article is going to answer all of that in plain language.
We’re going to walk through what CURT is, how it works step by step, who qualifies, how you actually pick up your medication, and why Texas runs things this way. We’ll also clear up one of the biggest myths in the state: no, you do not get a physical “Texas medical marijuana card.” That’s not how Texas works. CURT is your proof.
If you’re a patient (or a parent or caregiver) trying to understand how to legally access medical cannabis in Texas, you’re in the right place. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly what CURT is, how to get into it, and what happens next.
What Is the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT)?
The Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) is a secure, state-run online system that tracks which physicians are allowed to prescribe low-THC cannabis, which patients have active prescriptions, and exactly what each prescription says. It’s operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) as part of the Texas Compassionate Use Program.
In plain English, CURT is the official source of truth. If you are not in CURT, a Texas dispensary legally cannot give you medical cannabis. If you are in CURT, a dispensary can look you up, confirm that you have a valid prescription, and then fill it.
Texas built CURT so the process is digital and controlled. Instead of handing patients a physical “card,” the state keeps everything in one verified database that only approved doctors, licensed dispensaries, and DPS can access.
Related Terms You Need to Know
Compassionate Use Program (CUP):
Texas’ medical cannabis program. DPS licenses dispensaries, registers qualified physicians, and oversees CURT under this program, which is authorized by Chapter 487 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.Low-THC cannabis:
Cannabis products with no more than 1% THC by weight. Doctors in Texas prescribe only low-THC products such as oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, and lozenges, not smokable flower. The maximum amount of THC per dose is 10 milligrams.CUP-registered physician:
A Texas doctor who has been approved by DPS to prescribe low-THC cannabis. Only these physicians are allowed to enter patient prescriptions into CURT.Dispensing organization:
A licensed Texas medical cannabis dispensary. These dispensaries log in to CURT, verify a patient, and record what was dispensed so the state can track quantity and compliance.
How Does CURT Work?
CURT is basically the workflow engine of Texas medical marijuana. The doctor puts your prescription in. The dispensary looks you up. You confirm who you are. You get your medicine.
Step-by-step breakdown
You meet with a CUP-registered physician.
The doctor must be registered with the Compassionate Use Program and trained/qualified in a relevant specialty (for example, neurology for epilepsy, psychiatry for PTSD).The doctor decides if you qualify.
They review your condition and determine whether the benefits of low-THC cannabis outweigh the risks for you. This is required under Texas law.Your prescription is entered into CURT.
The physician enters your full legal name, date of birth, last 5 digits of your Social Security number, dosing instructions, and product form. You, the patient, do not have to “apply” separately.You go to any licensed Texas dispensary.
Texas does not lock you to just one dispensary. Any licensed dispensary in the state can look you up in CURT and fill your active prescription.You prove it’s you.
At pickup, you (or in the case of a minor, a legal guardian) provide ID plus basic matching info: last name, date of birth, and last 5 of SSN. The dispensary confirms the prescription in CURT and dispenses only what’s allowed.Dispensing is logged back into CURT.
After you receive your medicine, the dispensary records the product type and amount dispensed. This prevents duplicate or fraudulent fills and helps DPS enforce safety rules on THC content and supply.
Result: Simple way for patients to get their medical cannabis in an easy and secure way.
Why CURT Matters in 2025?
CURT is what makes medical cannabis actually usable in Texas. It’s the legal pathway. Without it, you’re just “buying weed,” which is still illegal for recreational use in Texas. With it, you’re filling a state-recognized prescription for medical cannabis.
Here’s why CURT is a big deal in 2025:
It replaces the medical marijuana card system.
Other states hand out physical cards or printed approvals. Texas doesn’t. CURT is the statewide proof of eligibility.It protects patients and doctors legally.
CURT shows:This patient is eligible,
This doctor is authorized, and
This product meets Texas’ low-THC rules (≤1% THC by weight).
That makes it harder for law enforcement or employers to misinterpret a patient’s medication as “street marijuana.”It enforces dosing limits and product types.
Dispensaries can only dispense what the physician prescribed, and they have to log it. DPS can track how much low-THC cannabis is dispensed and to whom.It supports minors and medically fragile patients.
Texas does not impose a minimum age for eligible patients, which means a parent or legal guardian can pick up medicine for a child with a qualifying condition, such as severe epilepsy. The guardian simply provides ID and the child’s info to the dispensary, which verifies through CURT.It centralizes compliance under DPS.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (not the health department) runs the Compassionate Use Program and CURT. That means cannabis access in Texas is enforced as a controlled, trackable medical pathway, not an open retail market.
Related: How to Obtain a Medical Marijuana Card in Texas: The Complete 2025 Guide
CURT vs Medical Marijuana Card: Do You Actually Need a Card in Texas?
No card. No plastic ID. No badge in your wallet. You do not get (or need) a physical “medical marijuana card” in Texas. Your legal access lives inside CURT.
This is one of the biggest sources of confusion. Here’s how to think about it:
Use CURT if…
You live in Texas.
You have a qualifying condition under the Texas Compassionate Use Program (for example, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, certain cancers, chronic pain, ALS, and more).
A CUP-registered physician says low-THC cannabis could help you and creates a prescription.
“Medical marijuana card” applies if…
You’re reading advice meant for other states.
Many states issue physical ID cards to prove patient status. Texas does not. Texas uses a prescription model with CURT instead.
Quick Comparison (for clarity)
In Texas, access to medical cannabis is managed through the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT), and it works differently than the typical “medical marijuana card” system used in many other states.
In most medical marijuana states, a patient is issued a physical card by a state health agency. The patient shows that card at dispensaries to prove eligibility. Texas does not do that. Instead, Texas uses CURT, a secure digital registry. Your proof of eligibility is not a card you carry; it’s the prescription that your doctor has entered into CURT, which licensed dispensaries can look up.
Approval also looks different. In other states, you usually visit a certified cannabis doctor, get approved as a patient, and receive a printed or digital card. In Texas, you must see a physician who is registered with the Compassionate Use Program. That physician has to evaluate you for a qualifying condition and decide that low-THC cannabis is medically appropriate. If they believe you qualify, they don’t hand you a card. They create an actual prescription for low-THC cannabis and enter it into CURT under your name.
Verification at the dispensary is also handled differently. In card-based states, you physically show your medical marijuana card plus your ID. In Texas, the dispensary staff logs into CURT and confirms you by checking your full name, date of birth, and the last five digits of your Social Security number. If your active prescription appears in CURT, they can legally dispense low-THC cannabis to you.
The type of product you can buy is another major difference. In many medical marijuana states, qualified patients can buy cannabis flower and higher-THC products, sometimes including smokable forms. Texas is stricter: the products dispensed under CURT must be low-THC formulations (capped at 1% THC by weight) such as oils, tinctures, capsules, or lozenges. Smoking traditional cannabis flower is still not allowed under Texas law.
Finally, the agency in charge is different. Most medical marijuana programs are run by a state health department or a cannabis control board. In Texas, the Compassionate Use Program — and CURT itself — are overseen by the Texas Department of Public Safety. In other words, Texas treats medical cannabis more like a controlled, monitored prescription than a broad retail program.
Who Qualifies for CURT?
Who can be entered into CURT and get medical cannabis in Texas?
You must:
(1) be a permanent Texas resident
(2) have a qualifying medical condition recognized by the Compassionate Use Program.
(3) be evaluated by a CUP-registered physician who believes low-THC cannabis could help you.
Typical qualifying conditions
Texas keeps expanding the list of conditions that may qualify for a low-THC cannabis prescription. Common examples include:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
Cancer (including many non-terminal cancers)
Certain neurodegenerative disorders and neuropathies.
Important detail: Texas physicians are required to decide if the potential benefit of cannabis outweighs the risk for that specific patient. It’s not automatic approval. It’s a clinical judgment call.
Age limits:
Texas does not set a minimum patient age in the law. Minors can qualify, but a parent or legal guardian must be involved, and that guardian will be the one who presents ID and picks up the medication from the dispensary.
Chronic pain note:
“Chronic pain” by itself is not always listed as a standalone qualifying condition in Texas the way it is in some other states. But if pain is tied to a qualifying diagnosis (for example, neuropathy tied to MS or nerve damage), a registered physician may still prescribe low-THC cannabis and enter you into CURT.
How Do You Start?
How do you get into CURT and actually pick up your medication?
You don’t file paperwork with the state. You book a consultation with a Compassionate Use Program physician. If you qualify, they put you in CURT. Then you go to a licensed dispensary with ID. That’s it.
Practical onboarding checklist
Step 1. Book a consultation with a CUP-registered physician.
This can usually be done by a telehealth platform like CannabisMD Telemed. Texas allows virtual evaluations for medical cannabis under the Compassionate Use Program, and many clinics advertise same-day or next-day appointments.Step 2. Get evaluated.
The doctor reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and qualifying diagnosis. They confirm that low-THC cannabis is clinically appropriate.Step 3. Prescription added to CURT.
If you qualify, the physician creates an official prescription and records it in CURT with your identifying info. You’ll often receive a confirmation or “certification letter” by email, but the letter itself isn’t what the dispensary uses, the CURT record is.Step 4. Visit the dispensary.
Go to any licensed Texas medical cannabis dispensary. You provide ID plus your basic info (name, DOB, last 5 of SSN). Staff pull you up in CURT, confirm your prescription, and legally dispense the low-THC products listed there.Step 5. Follow up / renew.
Prescriptions aren’t forever. You’ll have periodic follow-ups so the doctor can adjust your dose, change product type (oil, tincture, capsule, lozenge), and renew your CURT entry so you stay eligible.
What products can you actually bring home?
Texas dispensaries can dispense low-THC cannabis products such as tinctures, capsules, oils, or lozenges. THC is capped at 1% by weight in the final product. Smoking whole flower and high-THC products are still off-limits under current Texas law.
Conclusion
CURT is how medical cannabis legally works in Texas. It’s not a card program. It’s a prescription database, run by DPS, that connects an approved doctor, an eligible patient, and a licensed dispensary. If you’re in CURT, you can buy low-THC cannabis from a Texas dispensary. If you’re not, you can’t.
If you have a qualifying condition like epilepsy, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, autism, cancer, ALS, or severe spasticity, and you’re a Texas resident, your next step is simple: talk to a Compassionate Use Program physician. They’re the gatekeepers. If they decide the potential benefit outweighs the risk, they’ll enter a prescription for you in CURT. After that, you can walk into a licensed Texas dispensary, prove who you are, and legally access low-THC cannabis under state law.
FAQs
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No. Texas does not issue physical medical marijuana cards. Access is digital. Once your physician approves you and enters your prescription in CURT, any licensed dispensary can verify you in the system.
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The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) runs the Compassionate Use Program and operates CURT. DPS registers qualified physicians, oversees licensed dispensaries, and enforces the low-THC rules.
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When you go to pick up your medication, you don’t show a “card.” Instead, you give your name, date of birth, ID, and the last 5 digits of your Social Security number so they can pull your prescription directly from CURT.
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No. CURT is a secure database. It’s accessible to DPS, registered physicians, licensed dispensaries, and (in certain cases) law enforcement for verification. It’s not something employers or the general public can casually search.
