Abbott vetoes Texas THC ban, calls special session on hemp regulation
Abbott blocked a bill that would have banned consumable hemp products with THC and said Texas should regulate the market with stronger enforcement and age limits.
Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Texas Senate Bill 3 on Sunday, minutes before the deadline, blocking a measure that would have banned consumable hemp products containing THC, including delta-8 and delta-9.
Abbott then called lawmakers into a special session starting July 21 and put consumable hemp regulation at the top of the agenda. The move keeps the state’s hemp market open for now and shifts the debate from a ban to rules on sales, testing and enforcement.
Why it matters
SB 3 was one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top priorities this session. Abbott’s veto leaves that effort unfinished and puts him at odds with Patrick, while opening the door to a narrower approach that regulates THC products instead of prohibiting them.
Abbott said Texas needs a framework that protects public safety, fits federal law, is backed by fully funded enforcement and can take effect without delay. He said the bill would have faced constitutional challenges and likely would have been blocked in court.
Context and background
Abbott cited the 2018 federal Farm Bill as legal context for hemp products and said a total ban would put federal and state law on a collision course. He also said the current market is under-regulated and that children are paying the price.
In his veto message, Abbott outlined a model he said should resemble alcohol rules. He called for banning sales and marketing to minors, requiring testing during production and manufacturing, allowing local governments to bar THC stores and giving law enforcement more money to enforce restrictions.
The article says Texas lawmakers authorized consumable hemp sales in 2019, which helped open the market for a wide range of products. Critics of the current system say the industry used a loophole to expand rapidly, with more than 8,000 retailers now selling THC-laced edibles, drinks, vapes and flower buds across the state, according to the story.
The hemp industry, some veterans and some farmers backed regulation over prohibition. The article says veterans and Texans with chronic pain told lawmakers hemp products helped them cope and avoid opioids.
Patrick criticized the veto on social media Sunday, saying Abbott had stayed silent during the session and that families and law enforcement would feel abandoned. He also said he felt especially bad for people who testified about tragic losses.
The Texas Hemp Business Council praised the veto on social media and said Abbott showed real leadership.
The story also says the Legislature expanded the state’s medical marijuana program this session, adding more product types, more dispensaries and more qualifying health conditions.
What happens next
Lawmakers are set to return July 21 with consumable hemp regulation on the special session agenda. Abbott said he wants a measure that can survive legal scrutiny and take effect quickly, but the article does not say what bill language lawmakers will consider next.
Sources
Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.
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