Texas Senate Passes Consumable THC Hemp Ban During Special Session

In the latest special legislative session in Texas, state senators have again passed a bill banning consumable hemp products, despite the governor vetoing similar legislation earlier this year. The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a ban on consumable hemp products that contain THC. The 22-8 vote came during the Legislature’s second special session but still requires approval from House lawmakers before becoming law. 

In June, Gov. Greb Abbott (R) had vetoed a bill to ban THC hemp products, which drew the ire of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) who, in a statement following the passage Senate Bill 6, claimed “bad actors” had “taken advantage of a loophole in Texas agriculture law to sell potent, intoxicating forms of THC that have nothing to do with agriculture.”    

“Senate Bill 6 has been a top legislative priority because the Texas Senate refuses to allow bad actors to use loopholes in agriculture law to flood our communities with potent, intoxicating products disguised as harmless treats. These products lure and endanger our children and threaten public safety. That’s why every single law enforcement agency in Texas, along with the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Pediatric Society, and countless families, stand behind SB 6. Texans expect action – and the Senate will continue delivering until SB 6 becomes law.” — Patrick in a press release 

Polling conducted by Republican polling firm McLaughlin & Associates released earlier this month found 79% of respondents backed keeping intoxicating hemp products legal in the state. 

In addition to banning THC-rich hemp products, the bill also imposes a $10,000 fee for the manufacturing of consumable hemp products that contain no THC, a $20,000 fee for retailers who sell consumable hemp products, rules for testing consumable hemp products to ensure they contain only CBD or CBG, packaging and advertising rules for consumable hemp products sold in the state, and criminal penalties for offenders of the new law.