Relating to the creation of a medical cannabis research program; authorizing fees.

SB 733 establishes a medical cannabis research program in Texas, authorizing the state to issue licenses for research into medical cannabis safety and efficacy. The bill creates an 11-member advisory board (including physicians, a pharmacist, patient representatives, and legal experts) to evaluate research proposals, study cannabis-related laws, and submit annual reports to the legislature. Research licenses permit limited activities like conducting scientific studies and developing medical guidelines, but do not allow patient access to medical cannabis. The program is strictly for research purposes, with fees authorized to support administration. It does not change Texas’s current prohibition on medical cannabis use for patients.