Overview

• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has announced Senate Bill 3, a priority measure to ban all forms of consumable THC in Texas, including Delta-8 and Delta-9 products.
• Patrick argues that retailers have exploited the 2019 hemp legalization law to sell unregulated THC products with potentially dangerous levels, some allegedly targeting minors.
• The Texas hemp industry, valued at $2.78 billion in 2023, warns that a ban could devastate the sector, which employs over 50,000 Texans, and drive the market underground.
• Critics of the current market highlight a lack of testing, regulation, and age restrictions for THC products, while some lawmakers call for stricter oversight rather than a full ban.
• The proposed legislation will be carried by Republican Sen. Charles Perry and is expected to gain bipartisan support in the upcoming legislative session starting January 14, 2025.