Patrick says THC businesses are targeting East Texas youth

TYLER – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made a brief appearance in Tyler to discuss several pending bills, including Senate Bill 3, which would ban THC from Texas. According to our news partner KETK during the press conference, Patrick said more than 8,000 smoke shops have opened in Texas and that these shops are statistically located near high schools to lure students. “We have to take care of our young people and our schools; this is an organized assault on the State of Texas by the cannabis industry,” Patrick said.

When asked if regulating the usage of THC, Patrick said it would never be possible:

“You can’t regulate 8,000 to 9,000 shops. We don’t have enough law enforcement for that,” Patrick said. “Our number one issue as elected officials is public safety it is up to us to protect the public, and this has the potential to destroy this entire generation of young people coming up.”

While Patrick believes that SB 3 will have a positive impact across the state, several East Texas business owners spoke about the potential negative implications. Co-owner of Dragon’s Breath in North Tyler said a full THC ban will do more harm than good.

“Honestly, just putting people’s lives at risk and making ordinarily law-abiding citizens into criminals,” Dragon’s Breath co-owner, Lauren Gilmore, said.

Gilmore said many East Texans are using THC as a form of pain medication as well as a way to boost mental health. “Some people are using it, just for aches and pains from joint muscles, arthritis, lots of anxiety and depression,” Gilmore said.

If signed by Abbott, the law will take effect in September and stores in Texas will have until January to be in full compliance with the law.

Patrick also spoke about SB 10 and 11, which were both recently passed and will bring prayer and the Ten Commandments back into public schools. Students will be provided with time to pray during the school day and the Ten Commandments will be hung up in every classroom.

Patrick explained that the inspiration for the new bills is to allow students to express their religious beliefs throughout the week instead of just during weekend services. “I always wondered when you take kids to church and then you tell them they can’t talk about God Monday through Friday. That’s been a real disconnect, so Texas brought that together,” Patrick said.

Patrick will continue his tour of Texas and will be going to El Paso and Abilene for his next stop.