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Texas has taken one step closer to becoming the latest US state to impose a blanket ban on intoxicating hemp products, a move which could destroy ‘90-95%’ of the state’s thriving hemp industry.
The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 3 last week by an overwhelming majority, which would prohibit the retail sale of any cannabinoid in Texas, except CBD and CBG.
Should the bill be passed by the House, Delta 8, Delta 9, and all other forms of intoxicating THC, including beverages would be banned entirely, a move which would decimate the $8bn industry and impact tens of thousands of jobs.
SB3 was first put forward in December 2024, by Texas’ lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick. It seeks to address a 2019 law intended to boost Texas agriculture, allowing for the commercialization of hemp containing trace amounts of non-intoxicating delta-9 THC.
Specifically, the law permitted the production, manufacture, retail sale, and inspection of industrial hemp crops and products in Texas, provided they stayed at or below the 0.3% delta-9 THC threshold.
This included products for consumable hemp, such as cannabidiol (CBD), as well as other edible parts of the hemp plant. However, Patrick contends that retailers have exploited loopholes in the law to market products with unsafe levels of THC, including to minors.
“Since 2019, retailers across Texas have exploited a state agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to Texans, including children,” Patrick said in a statement following the vote.
“These stores which often target children with their marketing have popped up across the state, threatening the safety of our communities. Today, the Texas Senate drew a line in the sand and passed SB 3 to ban all forms of intoxicating THC.”
The US Hemp Roundtable noted concerns surrounding unregulated products and youth protection, but argued that ‘prohibition has never worked’.
“It would wipe out an entire industry, eliminate jobs, and push consumers toward unregulated markets where there are no ID checks, no testing, and no oversight,” it continued.
“Notably, testimony from scientists and farmers highlighted that the THC limits proposed in SB 3 are impossible to meet, further proving that this bill is unworkable.
“We fully support stronger regulations on hemp-derived products, including strict age limits to keep intoxicating products away from minors, but an outright ban is the wrong approach. Instead, Texas should follow the lead of other states that have successfully implemented common-sense regulations that protect consumers and hold businesses accountable.”
A separate bill has been proposed by the House, House Bill 28, which seeks to regulate the market rather than ban it outright.
If HB28 is passed, the two chambers would have to find a middle ground before the legislation could become law.
“}]] Texas has taken one step closer to becoming the latest US state to impose a blanket ban on intoxicating hemp products, a move which could destroy ‘90-95%’ of the state’s thriving hemp industry. Read More
