Senate Bill 3 would ban all forms of consumable THC, with certain forms of pot readily available due to a loophole in existing state law. SB 3 has the potential to drastically change things for people who use THC.
The Brief
Texas Republican leaders are looking to crack down on cannabis this legislative session.
Senate Bill 3 would outlaw all consumable forms of THC from being sold in Texas.
Many shops are worried about the impact of a ban on them and their customers.
AUSTIN, Texas – Cracking down on cannabis is one of the top priorities for Texas Republican leaders in the current legislative session.
A ban on THC is one of the top pieces of legislation being pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
What we know:
Senate Bill 3 would outlaw all consumable forms of THC from being sold in Texas.
It’s largely a response to a 2019 law that allowed for the commercialization of hemp, which includes products with THC under 0.3%.
Texas lawmakers consider ban on all THC products
State lawmakers are preparing to debate legislation that could shut down the sale of all forms of THC in Texas. The crackdown is a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. But, groups that sell the products are trying to keep them available.
However, the law came with some unintended consequences, such as the sale of Delta 8 and 9 products like gummies, as well as other chemical variations on THC that are more potent.
What they’re saying:
“When we wrote the rules, we weren’t fully aware. No one had heard of Delta Eight or Delta Nine,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
Miller argues the end result has been an unregulated market where people don’t always know what they’re getting.
“It’s just kind of wild, wild West. There is no oversight. There is no regulation,” said Miller. “We can’t have that.”
Miller wants lawmakers to be careful to ensure any THC ban doesn’t impact medicinal use of cannabis.
“There’s a lot of people that medical marijuana helps—the PTSD, the glaucoma, cancer patients,” said Miller. “Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater, as the saying goes.”
But Miller opposes legalized recreational use, arguing that in other states like Colorado, it’s created more problems than it’s solved. Miller also raises concerns about recent votes in Texas cities like Austin, Bastrop, Elgin and Lockhart to decriminalize pot.
“They say ‘just smoke all the dope you want. We’re not going to punish you’,” said Miller. “They may want to deal with that too.”
The other side:
Patrick claims some retailers are selling products with “three to four times the THC content…than marijuana purchased from a drug dealer.”
But many shops say that’s just not true—and are worried about the impact of a ban on them and their customers.
“It will impact it to the point where we might have to close,” said Jared Conway, owner of Tha Majic Flower in Houston.
“For our business, that would be really tough for a THC ban. A lot of people rely on THC as medicine,” said Dominick Canchola, store manager of Tribe CBD and Cannnabinoids.
Senate bill targets THC sales in Texas
A proposed Texas Senate bill is looking to end the commercialization of THC in Texas, which has prompted a response from businesses and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“The farm bill says 0.3% of THC. And what some of these retailers do is they say, this is actually THC-A, so doesn’t fall under that loophole,” said Betty Williams, executive director of Texas NORML, a group which is working to reform marijuana laws.
Williams argues that decriminalization votes across the state demonstrate that the public is on the side of legalization.
“We are a state that prides itself on personal freedom, and this is our personal freedom,” said Williams.
Williams wants to see the current loopholes closed, but argues a legal and regulated market—rather than an all-out ban—is the best way to ensure safety.
“Drug dealers do not check IDs. Drug dealers do not care what they give people. But if you have a business that is licensed and regulated and checked up on, then they care,” said Williams.
What’s next:
Groups like NORML are also pushing for an expansion of Texas’ current medical marijuana program, arguing the list of qualifying conditions is too limited.
FOX 7 reached out to the office of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, as well as GOP State Sen. Charles Perry, who’s sponsoring SB3, but they did not respond to our request for interviews.
The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting and interviews by FOX 7 Austin’s 7 On Your Side reporter John Krinjak.
H/T: www.fox7austin.com
You can view the whole article at this link THC cannabis debate heats up in Texas with Senate Bill 3
