Six years after Texas legalized hemp products in the state, Texas lawmakers say the sales have led to abuses and safety issues and now want to reconsider the legality, NPR reported. “The Texas Senate passed a bill last month that would ban nearly all consumable hemp products with THC, the main intoxicating element in cannabis, and it’s now under consideration in the state House.”
The 2018 farm bill passed by the U.S. Congress allowed states to roll back restrictions on hemp. NPR wrote that when the Texas Legislature did so a few months later, it laid the groundwork for a multibillion-dollar industry for consumable hemp products like gummies, vapes, chips and drinks. Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the products are being marketed to children and young adults and fueling a public health crisis.
The Senate bill passed last month in a 26-to-5 vote but some opponents said the industry just needs more regulation, not a ban. Democratic state Sen. José Menéndez of San Antonio was one of those who voted no, siding for sales that are more regulated. There’s reportedly no age requirement for purchasing consumables at this time.
“I’m one of those who believe it should be extremely regulated, more than 1,000 feet away from schools or churches. Do it like we do liquor stores and that sort of thing, where it’s very hard to get, that only people who are consenting adults can use this,” Menéndez said.
“Texas still has relatively strict laws on cannabis. It has not legalized marijuana as about half the states have—except for limited medical uses. A new ban would mark a turnaround in what’s become a major market,” wrote the outlet.
The market for such consumables in Texas has grown to $8 billion annually, estimated Patrick. A recent report by Whitney Economics, a consulting firm in the cannabis industry, puts the figure at a more modest $5.5 billion in sales, generating $268 million in tax revenues.
In February, NACS Daily reported that cannabis drinks are seeing increased demand and appeal for an audience that wants to drink less alcohol but is reluctant to “sit around and smoke a joint,” according to some of the companies producing, selling or distributing these hemp-derived beverages, reported the Washington Post.
Brightfield Group, a market research firm that reports on the cannabis industry, estimated that hemp-derived cannabis beverages brought in $382 million in sales last year and that U.S. sales will grow to nearly $750 million by 2029.
The state may revoke its previous decision to legalize THC products in the state. Read More
