Texas THC ban? Stores react to bills

AUSTIN – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the future of the Texas hemp industry is on the line as state lawmakers consider sweeping bills that would tightly regulate or outright ban THC products. Senate Bill 3 would wipe out all hemp-derived products — from gummies, vapes and flower buds to THC-infused beverages — that currently grace the shelves of more than 8,000 Texas stores. Under current law, hemp products with less than 0.3% THC are legal; however, SB 3 would erase that important distinction. The Senate passed the bill with a 24-7 vote on March 19, and it now moves to the House, where a more moderate proposal — House Bill 28 — calls for tighter regulations instead of an outright ban.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the ban is his top priority during this legislative session. Patrick has taken a hard line on the issue, contending that THC products pose a significant risk to public health, particularly for children. “This is a poison in our public, and we as the Legislature, our number one responsibility is life and death issues,” Patrick declared at a recent press conference. He contends that misleading packaging and dangerously high THC levels — claims of some products containing “several times more THC content than marijuana purchased from a drug dealer off the street” — endanger Texans. Patrick’s resolve extends to THC-infused beverages, which he insists should not be exempt from the ban. State Sen. Charles Perry, a Republican from Lubbock, introduced Senate Bill 3. “I named SB 3 a major legislative initiative of mine because I will not allow retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans’, and especially children’s, lives in danger,” he said in a press release. He has also warned hemp retailers, advising them to consider closing their doors voluntarily as investigations and potential lawsuits loom. “You might want to voluntarily close your doors because the investigations are going to continue, and I’m sure the lawsuits are about to come. You know what you’re doing.” Patrick sai