logo
Texas lawmakers want to ban all THC products, but advocates urge them to focus on regulation

Texas lawmakers want to ban all THC products, but advocates urge them to focus on regulation

Yahoo20-03-2025

The Brief
Some Texas lawmakers want to ban all THC products in Texas
The Texas Senate has already passed a bill to do just that, SB 3
Industry advocates are urging lawmakers to focus on regulation rather than prohibition
AUSTIN, Texas - Lawmakers are pushing to ban all THC products in Texas, but industry advocates are urging them to focus on regulation rather than prohibition.
RELATED: Texas Senate passes bill to ban THC products
What they're saying
"This is a poison in our public," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.
Lt. Gov. Patrick said 8,300 stores in Texas sell THC, and they've made about $8 billion.
"They used a loophole to get around a bill that the legislature passed in 2019," Lt. Gov. Patrick said.
The law allowed for the commercialization of hemp. Because of that, many shops started selling Delta 8 and 9 products as well as other chemical variations that are more potent.
"It's been marketed as something that is safe and legal, and it's anything but," Lubbock State Senator Charles Perry said. "Quality of those products is not monitored, it goes from 30% on average, all the way up to 80% THC inside of it and you don't know what that pot is being mixed with when it was put in there."
Senator Perry said he's determined to shut it down. He filed Senate Bill 3. It would ban THC and nearly all other cannabinoids. It would also require someone to be at least 21 years old to purchase CBD, would create harsher penalties related to consumable hemp products, and marketing and advertising would be limited as to not appeal to children.
"Intentional mislabeling on many products have led to accidental overdoses and increased addiction, with proven research showing that these products carry many long-term health risks, particularly to our young people," Allen Police Department Chief Steve Dye said.
The other side
On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Patrick walked into a store in Austin that had sent the nearby high school administrators a letter warning students not to trespass in the store.
"I asked them to show me the product, and he said, 'well, here's our one gummy that's 750mg,'" Lt. Gov. Patrick said.
The attorney for the hemp store, David Sergi, said that's not true and products with more than 50mg per serving are not available in the store.
"Lieutenant Governor Patrick came into Happy Cactus, our client's store, and saw that we do things correctly. He learned that we had sent a no-trespass letter to Crockett High School because we didn't want their students in our store. He also learned that their students no longer attempt to come into our store. Happy Cactus does things right like most of our industry," said David Sergi.
"I speak on behalf of the growers, manufacturers and consumers. All SB 3 will do is kill an industry that is thriving and take away jobs," CEO Drops of Life CBD, Fresh Grown Texas Jake Garry said.
What's next
Senate Bill 3 has already passed in the senate, but faces opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis, statements from Texas lawmakers, and previous coverage

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump's Court Victory In Press Access Case Gives Him Even More Power
Trump's Court Victory In Press Access Case Gives Him Even More Power

Forbes

time9 hours ago

  • Forbes

Trump's Court Victory In Press Access Case Gives Him Even More Power

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office in Washington, DC. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty ... More Images) A federal appeals court ruling may have handed President Trump, along with future presidents, a powerful new tool: The ability to shape White House coverage by deciding who gets through the door — and who doesn't. It's the latest chapter in the Trump administration's ongoing war with the press – and it's arguably flown a bit under the radar, given the president's bellicose response to the anti-ICE protests that have rocked downtown Los Angeles for several days and continue dominating headlines. But while public attention has been preoccupied with the demonstrations there, a court ruling has just effectively given Trump the authority to control who's allowed into the White House press pool. In a 2-to-1 decision on Friday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused a lower court's order requiring the Trump White House to allow Associated Press reporters to participate in daily press events and presidential travel. At the heart of the case was an argument that areas like Air Force One and parts of the West Wing aren't public forums — and, therefore, the White House can choose which journalists it admits. While that may be technically true, its implications for how political power interacts with the press — and how the press, in turn, covers those in power — are enormous. 'We are disappointed in the court's decision and are reviewing our options,' Patrick Maks, director of media relations & corporate communications for The Associated Press, told me on Monday. The dispute began earlier this year, when the White House began putting new press limits in place and excluded AP journalists from the daily press pool altogether. The move came after the AP opted not to use President Trump's preferred designation of the 'Gulf of America' instead of the Gulf of Mexico. When the AP declined, the White House retaliated — and has largely kept the outlet shut out ever since. It might sound like a minor dust-up over wording, but here's why this case could signal the potential erosion of a decades-old system meant to ensure fair, consistent access to the presidency. For decades, news organizations have relied on the press pool system to share coverage duties. Because there isn't always space for dozens of reporters to cram into every presidential setting — like inside a motorcade or aboard Air Force One — news outlets rotate the job of sending a reporter, who then shares notes and recordings with the rest of the press corps. It's a practical solution, not a privilege. Or, at least, it was a practical solution that the Trump White House wants to treat as a privilege that can be extended or revoked, depending on a reporter's or outlet's coverage. Why that's troubling: The moment a White House begins picking and choosing who gets into the pool based on editorial compliance, the system starts to look more like a velvet rope — one that's controlled by gatekeepers intent on rewarding allies and shutting out the rest. The court's decision doesn't just delay the AP's reinstatement; it could end up setting a precedent. In the majority opinion, Judge Neomi Rao, joined by fellow Trump appointee Gregory Katsas, noted that many of the places where reporters follow the president are "nonpublic forums." That means the First Amendment's protections don't apply in the way many journalists might expect. In other words, administrations can now claim broad discretion over who gets invited inside — and who doesn't. Which begs the question: How is what happened to the AP functionally different from making members of the pool sign a pro-Trump pledge in exchange for access? The AP, as noted, held its line. It stuck to the Gulf of Mexico nomenclature, arguing that such phrasing contradicted its newsroom standards. That principled stance cost it access — and, so far, the courts have said: No problem here. If other outlets take the same stand in the future, whether because of language used or some clash with editorial policy, they could now face similar repercussions. In other words, what happened here between the Trump White House and the AP feels like a shift in the very economy of access. It's a kind of penalizing of dissent, which correspondingly implies that loyalty will be rewarded. The bottom line: The press pool was never meant to function like a velvet rope. But this pro-Trump ruling could mean that's exactly what it might soon become — letting only the favored few through, and leaving the rest at a disadvantage while they scramble to report from outside the room.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's push to ban THC in Texas draws rare backlash from the right
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's push to ban THC in Texas draws rare backlash from the right

Yahoo

time12 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's push to ban THC in Texas draws rare backlash from the right

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was clear from the start. Weeks before this year's legislative session began, and before he announced any other priorities, the Republican Senate leader said he wanted lawmakers to ban, at any cost, products that contain the psychoactive compound in weed. His target was the multibillion-dollar hemp industry that had sprouted up thanks to a loophole in a 2019 state law that legalized products providing a similar high to marijuana. Patrick justified his conviction by contending that retailers had abused that loophole to sell products with dangerous amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. He accused the retailers of preying on the state's young people with shops posted near schools and marketing aimed at children. 'I couldn't, in good conscience, leave here knowing if we don't do something about it in the next two years — how many kids get sick?' Patrick said in March, talking about his willingness to force a special legislative session by blocking must-pass legislation from making it through the Texas Senate. And ultimately, Patrick got his way — and an explosion of backlash. As pressure mounts on the governor to veto a THC ban sent to his desk, Patrick finds himself in the unfamiliar position of taking flak from conservative activists and media personalities outside the Capitol, many of whom typically march in political lockstep with a man who has long been a darling of the right and done more than perhaps any other elected official to drive Texas rightward. After spearheading the THC ban, Patrick has been accused by some on the right of creating a nanny state and giving Mexican drug cartels a business opportunity to fill demand in the black market. He has been labeled a booze lobby shill for beer distributors who stand to benefit. A hardline conservative state lawmaker who voted against the ban said it contradicted 'the Texas mantra of being pro-business, pro-farmer and pro-veteran.' A Patrick spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. 'This is stupid,' Dana Loesch, the former National Rifle Association spokesperson who is now the host of a nationally syndicated conservative talk radio show, wrote on social media in response to Patrick's argument that the ban would keep THC away from children. 'It's like the gun ban argument with a different variable. Kids aren't buying it anymore than any other controlled product (alcohol, cigarettes, et al) and if they are, do your job as a parent and parent instead of idiotically expanding government.' Before the blowback erupted from inside his house, Patrick courted Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature to pass Senate Bill 3. The law bans products containing THC — and would eradicate the state's $8 billion hemp industry and its estimated 50,000 jobs if it survives Gov. Greg Abbott's veto pen and expected legal challenges. Abbott, whose office has been inundated with calls to veto SB 3, has not revealed his intentions for the proposed law. The governor could sign SB 3 into law, veto it or do nothing and let it become law without his signature. Proponents of the ban have argued it is needed to rein in a wild west industry that's selling products with dangerously high levels of THC and without proper oversight. Patrick has argued it would be unrealistic to regulate the industry under tighter guardrails — as hemp business leaders and others proposed — because doing so would require an impossible amount of manpower. Lawmakers also passed a bill to expand the state's medical marijuana program by offering more products and adding more qualifying conditions, an olive branch extension to vets and THC users with chronic conditions who opposed the retail ban. Patrick said the medical expansion 'will help those in true need of relief.' But he and his allies have remained steadfast behind the THC ban, even amid pushback from the right. 'Retailers across Texas have exploited a state agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of tetrahydrocannabinol to Texans,' said Sen. Charles Perry, the Lubbock Republican who carried SB 3, when the upper chamber approved the bill. 'These rogue retailers are selling THC products containing several times more THC content than marijuana purchased from a drug dealer off the street. These dangerous products must not be allowed to permeate our communities and endanger Texas children.' Criticism on the right has come from veterans who say they use the products as alternatives to opioid painkillers to help with a variety of ails, industry leaders who say the Republican-controlled state is turning its back on small businesses, and conservative politicos who have no shortage of arrows they have been aiming at Patrick. 'What lives were destroyed by low grade THC shops, Dan? Can you name one?' Kenny Webster, a Houston conservative talk radio host, posted on social media. 'Just one. Go ahead.' Some recent scrutiny was driven by a news conference Patrick called to push back on criticism of the ban, even after it had already cleared both chambers and was on its way to Abbott's desk. Flanked by senators and law enforcement officials, Patrick stood in front of a variety of THC products laid out on a table and made his case. The lieutenant governor said he wanted to encourage the news media to write about the dangers of THC. He also said he had 'total confidence in the governor. … I'm not worried about the governor understanding it. I'm worried about you all understanding it.' At one point Patrick lobbed a bag of edibles at a reporter. He later asked another reporter if he was 'crazy' for inquiring about the move to limit adults' access to the products. 'If he was trying to make a case for a THC ban, I can't think of a more bizarre and counterproductive spectacle than yesterday's press conference,' said Rolando Garcia, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee who routinely criticizes GOP lawmakers for perceived breaches of conservative orthodoxy. 'We have a mad king surrounded by courtiers and yes men afraid to tell him he's making a fool of himself.' Some opponents of the total ban have vowed retribution against Patrick, who is running for reelection in 2026 armed with an endorsement from President Donald Trump and more than $33 million in his campaign coffers. Those factors — and Patrick's long history of promoting policies that most primary voters see as higher priorities than preserving THC access — mean it is unlikely the blowback will cost Patrick much, according to political observers. 'It's hard to imagine given Patrick's position and where he is now that somehow this is going to be in and of itself the source of some fundamental political threat,' said Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. 'Honestly I think we're not used to seeing Dan Patrick criticized very much from within his own party and so it's really sticking out, and that's fair.' Meanwhile, another member of the SREC, Morgan Eakin, on social media questioned Patrick's conservative bona fides by pointing to when Patrick came under fire from his own party over gun rights. As the Legislature in 2021 contemplated letting most Texans carry a handgun without a license or training, Patrick at first said the Senate did not have the votes to pass the measure. Lawmakers ultimately passed the bill, often referred to by Republicans as constitutional carry because of their belief that it is an American's constitutional right to pack heat without involving the government. 'We have to ask ourselves how so many were gaslit into believing the Senate and Dan Patrick were consistently more in line with basic constitutional principles and that [former House Speaker Dade Phelan] and the House were unequivocally liberal,' Eakin wrote. Phelan, a Beaumont Republican who clashed with Patrick during his time as speaker, weighed in on SB 3 Monday, writing on social media that 'Texans do not want a total ban.' 'They do want a reasonable, regulated hemp market free of dangerous products — especially those advertised and sold to minors,' Phelan, who voted for the bill, wrote. 'The gas station garbage must go while Texans enjoy the freedom they expect from conservative governance.' Despite the blowback, Patrick remains a champion of conservative policies and key player in GOP victories. This session alone, state lawmakers passed stiffer bail laws, required that most sheriffs work with federal immigration authorities and approved measures allowing time for prayer in public schools and requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. Patrick has rarely taken much heat from his own party. One notable instance was also related to guns after a pair of mass shootings. In 2019, a gunman wanting to quell an 'invasion' of Hispanic immigrants went to a Walmart in El Paso, where he opened fire and murdered 23 people and wounded 22 others. Shortly after that attack, a gunman terrorized Midland and Odessa with a shooting spree that resulted in the deaths of eight people. Patrick said it was high time the state required background checks on gun sales between strangers. "Someone in the Republican Party has to take the lead on this," he said at the time, adding that he was 'willing to take an arrow' for the stance. The backlash, once again, was swift. His conservatism was called into question and some on the right even painted him as a bigger threat to guns than Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who had infamously said during a presidential debate the same year, 'Hell yes, we are going to take your AR-15.' Patrick withstood the pushback. And lawmakers never approved legislation he called for regulating private stranger-to-stranger gun sales. Since allowing permitless carry in 2021, lawmakers have expanded access to firearms, including with a bill this year to legalize sawed-off shotguns, among other victories for gun rights advocates. The lack of fallout from Patrick's push to regulate private gun sales may offer a clue about how the SB 3 situation will shake out. Patrick received 77% of the 2022 GOP primary vote against only token opposition, and he was easily reelected in November. Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.

Dan Patrick on THC ban, school choice + more in Abilene
Dan Patrick on THC ban, school choice + more in Abilene

Yahoo

time18 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Dan Patrick on THC ban, school choice + more in Abilene

ABILENE, Texas () – Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is touring the state following the conclusion of the legislative session, making a stop at Abilene Regional Airport. During his visit, he outlined key legislative developments and their impact on everyday Texans. GALLERY: Severe storms cause damage in north Abilene, across Big Country Patrick also took a moment to acknowledge the recent severe storms that swept through the Big Country. 'I'm glad to know that there were no serious injuries or deaths last night. I know there was some damage,' Patrick expressed. 'Some pretty bad weather rumbled through Texas, and we're glad that's behind us.' One of the top issues Patrick discussed was education, beginning with property tax relief and teacher pay raises. He explained that when school property taxes are reduced, the state must fill that funding gap. This session, the Texas Legislature will cover $51 billion in school property taxes. 'If you're over 65 and you're the average senior, you won't have any more school taxes to pay ever again as long as you live. If you're under 65, your taxes will be down about 50% on average from just several years ago,' Patrick shared. Big Country Politics: School vouchers & teacher raises under the microscope An additional $8.5 billion was allocated to public education, with nearly half dedicated to boosting teacher salaries. Rural teachers will also see a specific increase to help close the pay gap between urban and rural districts. 'The most valuable asset, the key to your child's or grandchild's education, is a great teacher. In the past, teachers just haven't been getting the benefits of all the money we spent on public education,' Patrick explained. Patrick also addressed a new law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The posters can be donated by churches, businesses, or individuals, and schools will be obligated to display them. 'The values are the basis for all Western civilization,' Patrick expressed. BCP: Lt. Governor Dan Patrick shares insight on hot-button topic senate bills In addition, legislation was passed to provide private time for students who wish to pray. 'We're not compelling anyone to pray in school, but we're giving anyone who wants to pray private time,' Patrick said. Patrick emphasized efforts to remove what he referred to as 'wokeness' from public schools. That includes a ban on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs and prohibiting individuals assigned male at birth from participating in women's sports. 'We've also continued to get the wokeness out of schools… DEI and other issues that were distracting students from the main goal to learn and to get a great education,' Patrick shared. Lambert backs $7.7B school bill, explains why he voted for vouchers Patrick also promoted the new school voucher-style program, recently signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. The law allocates billions toward public education while allowing up to 100,000 students to apply for funding to attend the school of their choice. 'They can go into a system and apply. It'll be a lottery system where we'll accept up to 100,000 children to go to the school of their choice. The state will provide funding for that,' Patrick explained. 'A colossal mistake': Abilene ISD superintendent criticizes Texas' new education voucher law Patrick also touched on the claim that school choice undermines public education, saying that's far from the case. 'They said that about homeschooling… They said that about charter schools, and now they've said it about school choice,' Patrick said. 'Just so you have a comparison, we will spend a billion dollars on school choice per year, and we'll spend somewhere around $40 billion on public schools… There's no competition there.' Turning to student safety, Patrick expressed concern over vape and THC products sold near schools, sharing that seven students were hospitalized at a graduation after consuming gummies reportedly bought from a smoke shop. '8,000 smoke shops have opened up within 1,000 to 2,00 feet of a school… Police want it banned, every doctor that testified wanted it banned, and the testimony from parents was just horrendous,' Patrick shared. Saying Goodbye to the High: Bill could outlaw THC products in Abilene, sparking local outcry Despite concerns about a black market, Patrick stood firm on the need for a ban. 'Our job as elected officials is to ensure the health and safety of our citizens. THC, no one knows what's in it… This is not the pot that people smoked 20 years ago. It's four to five times more powerful; you can't control it. The only thing you can do is ban it,' Patrick shared. However, he clarified that Texans can still access medical THC through the state's Compassionate Use Program. 'Whether it's cancer, PTSD, chronic pain, whatever it may be, that program is the legal way to do it,' Patrick said. Patrick highlighted significant investments in infrastructure, including $3 billion for water and $5 billion for power improvements. Energy fuels Abilene's future — and it's just the beginning He also addressed law enforcement and border security, emphasizing the need for legal immigration while targeting and blocking criminal elements. 'A lot of people are coming for the American dream, but a lot of criminals and gang members are coming. We don't want those. People who want the American dream, we need a legal process for people to come here legally,' Patrick said. Additionally, $350 million was invested to raise pay for rural law enforcement officers. 'Sheriffs just couldn't make enough money to keep people who want to be in law enforcement in rural Texas, so now we've increased sheriffs' pay up to $75,000,' Patrick shared. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store