Fort Worth THC shop owners say Abbott veto gives them time before Texas special session
Local hemp and THC shop owners said Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Senate Bill 3 gave Texas businesses time to keep operating as lawmakers prepare to revisit the issue in a special session starting July 21.
Fort Worth hemp and THC shop owners said Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Senate Bill 3 spared their businesses from an immediate shutdown and gave them time to prepare for possible new rules when lawmakers return July 21.
They said the veto mattered because SB 3 threatened hemp-derived THC products that many Texas shops sell now. For some owners, the bill put revenue, expansion plans and family finances at risk. The veto did not end the broader fight, and business owners said a special legislative session could still bring tighter limits on THC products.
Dustin Goss, manager of World of Smoke & Vape on Bledsoe Street, said he spent June 22 tracking SB 3 on X as the deadline approached. He said the legislation threatened hemp-derived THC products in Texas, could put half of the shop’s revenue at risk and would have delayed expansion plans. Goss said he first doubted the veto was real, then felt relieved after seeing more posts.
Austin Zamhariri, manager of Thrive Apothecary on South Main Street, said the veto brought “life and excitement” to the hemp industry. Before Abbott acted, he said, the company was preparing for shutdown scenarios, including closing locations, liquidating products and getting resumes ready. Thrive Apothecary is based in Fort Worth and has a small staff, according to the report.
Alex Noriega, owner of Natural Buds, said the outcome let the business keep operating “another day.” He said a ban would have been devastating because he supports his family with money generated by the shop. Noriega also said he used family assets tied to his late mother’s house to open Natural Buds.
The article said business owners were not asking for no rules. Goss said child safety, age restrictions and potency caps should be the focus if lawmakers move ahead with new restrictions. Zamhariri said a ban would have pushed consumers toward the black market.
Abbott said in his veto statement that SB 3 was well intentioned but legally flawed. He said the measure would have been enjoined for years if it became law, leaving existing abuses unaddressed. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick remained opposed to THC products, saying they were destroying families and that law enforcement did not have enough resources to regulate the market and target bad actors. Patrick also said he would not legalize marijuana in Texas and told critics they could vote him out if they disagreed.
The story said Texas has regulated hemp products since 2019 under House Bill 1325. The Texas Department of Agriculture says that law authorizes the production, manufacture, retail sale and inspection of industrial hemp crops and products. That background made the veto a temporary reprieve rather than a final result for the industry.
What happens next depends on the special session starting July 21. The article said new THC restrictions are on the table, and Fort Worth shop owners said they are preparing for that possibility.
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