HOUSTON — A proposed Texas Senate bill would stop the sale of THC products. Retailers and hemp industry leaders tell KHOU 11 the impact of such a ban could be “devastating” for some.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced Wednesday that Senate Bill 3 aims to ban all consumable tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, being sold in Texas. The bill will be considered during the upcoming legislative session that begins in January.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, responds to concerns over thousands of stores selling unregulated, potentially dangerous THC products, Patrick said.
The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1325 in 2019, which allows the sale of consumable hemp products but stipulates they must contain no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis.
Since then, Patrick said retailers have exploited the law to sell “life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC,” targeting adults and children.
“There are so many benefits to cannabis, I’d hate to see it go away if this bill passes,” THC retailer Chris Powers said.
Powers sells cannabis-infused products at his business, Hydroshack Hydroponics, in northwest Houston. For years, he’s continued THC sales despite numerous legal battles in Texas regarding the hemp industry.
“It’s very difficult to build a business when the laws keep changing,” he said. “If the Lt. Governor gets his wish, it will be devastating for Texas. Customers will go back to buying it illegally on the street. The way we do it now, we’re buying from reputable large companies. We know everything that we sell is pure.”
Powers buys many of his products from Hometown Hero, an Austin company that sells Delta-8, Delta 9, and CBD. The company’s Chief Strategy Officer, Cynthia Cabrera, is also the president of the Texas Hemp Business Council.
“It’s disappointing but it didn’t come as surprise,” Cabrera said of Patrick’s proposed ban.
Cabrera tells KHOU 11 that she supports industry regulations, including age limits, but believes a ban goes too far. She claimed a ban would impact the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.
“If this ban passes, businesses will close their doors, they’ll default on retail spaces, and people will lose their homes. The ripple effect will be huge,” she said. “Over 50,000 thousand people employed in the industry, and it’s quite a blow, to hear they have no problem trying to ban the industry rather than just implementing an age gate.”
The Texas Legislative session begins on January 14. Lt. Gov. Patrick said he believes Senate Bill 3 will get broad bipartisan support.
