Texas lawmakers approve full THC ban
May 24 (UPI) -- All non-medical products containing THC in any form soon could be outlawed in Texas after state lawmakers approved a full ban on Wednesday.
The Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday night voted 95-44 to approve Senate Bill 3, which bans the sale of all non-medical THC products in the state, CBS News reported.
Recreational cannabis is not legal in Texas, but medical marijuana is legal. So are hemp-derived products containing no more than 0.3% THC content.
Non-medical and hemp-derived products that contain any amount of THC would be banned if Gov. Greg Abbott signs the measure into law.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, bans the sale of Delta 8, Delta 9 and other forms of THC products, including beverages.
The bill also bans the retail sale of any cannabinoid, except for CBD and CBG products.
Such products were made legal with the passage of the federal Farm Bill of 2018 and at the state level a year later by Texas lawmakers.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, on Monday said he would halt progress on a state budget bill if the House did not approve S.B. 3, which was a companion measure to the budget.
"It's being sold to school children all across Texas," Patrick said in a video posted on Facebook.
"This is poisonous THC [with] no regulation whatsoever," he added.
Patrick said many of the products sold are more potent than marijuana that is sold by street dealers.
In the video, he shows a map of more than 8,000 smoke and vape shops that opened in Texas over the past three years.
Patrick said most are located within 2,000 feet of schools, and the industry generates $8 billion in annual revenues.
The video includes footage of Perry during Senate floor debate saying the owners of smoke and vape shops "targeted walking distance of every school they could."
The video also shows Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, during floor debate, citing a 495% increase in calls for THC overdoses by children aged 5 and under between 2017 and 2022, as reported by the Texas Poison Control network.
Those opposing the THC ban say it could cause economic and medicinal harm.
The proposed THC ban would harm local businesses, farmers and "tens of thousands of hardworking Texans ... who rely on hemp-derived cannabinoids for their wellness," officials with the Texas Hemp Business Council said Wednesday in a press release.
"Despite overwhelming testimony and clear data demonstrating the safety and economic value of federally legal hemp-derived cannabinoids, lawmakers have chosen a path that eliminates an entire sector of our economy," the business council said.
The industry generates $4.3 billion in retail sales, supports 53,300 state jobs and contributes $268 million in tax revenue, according to the council.
"Texas already has strong hemp regulations," the council said.
Instead of a ban, the council proposed restricting sales to those who are 21, requiring child-resistant packaging and establishing minimum distances from schools.
Abbot has not indicated whether or not he intends to sign S.B. 3 into law.
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