Abbott calls for regulating, not banning, hemp-derived THC
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Texas' multibillion-dollar hemp industry faces the potential for heavy regulation after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a THC ban Sunday and called for a special session in part to tackle the issue.
Why it matters: The Legislature now has to decide how to proceed with Abbott's call to further regulate consumable hemp after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's push to ban the substance failed.
Driving the news: In his Senate Bill 3 veto proclamation, Abbott made several recommendations to lawmakers on how to potentially regulate the industry during a special session in July, including:
- Making it a crime to sell or transfer consumable hemp products to minors and banning sales near schools, churches, parks and other places children frequent.
- Mandating testing and manufacturing guidelines for producers and adding permits, fees and other regulatory requirements.
- Relegating sales to the same hours alcohol can be sold and bolstering the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's authority to monitor the industry, among other suggestions.
Context: In 2019, Abbott signed the Texas farm bill, legalizing certain products containing small amounts of hemp-derived delta-8 THC, a minor chemical variant of the main psychoactive ingredient in traditional cannabis.
- Those products include edibles, beverages, vapes and traditional bud.
Flashback: Patrick made the THC ban bill a legislative priority for the Texas Senate this year.
What they're saying: Patrick, a fellow Republican, pushed back against Abbott at a press conference Monday, saying he would not support a bill that "legalizes recreational marijuana in Texas."
- "I will not gavel it down, and that's what he's asking the Legislature to do," Patrick said.
The other side: Jake Bullock, CEO of THC beverage company Cann, whose products are sold across Texas, said Abbott's veto "shows real leadership, pushing back on panic-driven narratives and acknowledging what's actually working in the real world."
- "Texans want choices, not bans," Bullock said in a statement. "Now, we have an opportunity to do it right during the special session."
What's next: Legislators will hammer out any potential regulations during a special session starting July 21.