Texas’ days of legal THC might be over soon.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the most powerful man in state government, said he’s making it a priority to ban “all forms of consumable THC from being sold in Texas.”
The Texas Senate’s head honcho announced Wednesday evening that the THC ban will be introduced as Senate Bill 3 — a low-number designation signaling its high priority in the upcoming session. The Republican-controlled Legislature has been widely anticipated to target Texas’ thriving hemp industry, which has seen a surge in cannabis dispensaries since the state legalized the sale of consumable hemp in 2019.
According to Patrick, the 2019 law’s been treated like an all-you-can-eat loophole buffet, with retailers whipping up THC-laden treats that he says are too strong and too easy for kids to get their hands on. Though the Texas Tribune has noted that Texas hasn’t legalized marijuana in any form for broad use, to Patrick’s point, Texas Monthly reported earlier this year that, despite lawmakers’ best efforts to the contrary, the sale of marijuana had basically — however inadvertently — become legalized.
As such, Patrick’s ready to play fun police.
In a statement, Patrick said that “retailers exploited the agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC to the public and made them easily accessible. These stores not only sold to adults, but they targeted Texas children and exposed them to dangerous levels of THC.” (Actually, studies show that even complete legalization of marijuana does not result in increased use among minors.)
Under current law, consumable hemp products must contain no more than 0.3% THC — the psychoactive component of cannabis found in forms like Delta-8, Delta-9, and THCA. However, Patrick claims, that many products on Texas shelves significantly exceed this limit.
Consumable hemp products include vapes, oils, creams, edibles, drinks, and gummies. Made from industrial hemp or hemp-derived cannabinoids like non-intoxicating CBD, they must stay below 0.3% THC. The difference between hemp and marijuana is that hemp has low THC, while marijuana plants pack a higher punch.
Still, Patrick claimed there are “thousands of stores selling hazardous THC products” in Texas now, “and many sell products, including beverages, that have three to four times the THC content which might be found in marijuana purchased from a drug dealer.”
He went on to harrumph: “We are not going to allow these retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans’ lives in danger.”
Despite Patrick predicting that the bill would get bipartisan support, not everyone was a fan of his announcement — even some Republicans.
Sara Fields, who described herself as president of the conservative activist group Texas Freedom Coalition, posted on X that banning THC is a “mistake.”
She added: “I know hundreds of veterans who benefit and can finally function with the help of micro-dosing THC for pain and PTSD. “
Right wing radio host Dana Loesch also ripped the bill, writing: “I’m no Tommy Chong but ‘life threatening levels of THC’ seems like a lot of hyperbole to justify big government overreach. I thought Republicans are supposed to be the small gov party. This is Democrat silliness.”
As columnist Steven Monacelli reported this week, the blazing fight over cannabis consumption is just the latest example of Texas Republicans becoming what they allegedly are against: big government.