The Texas Senate has passed a bill that would ban products containing THC. The Senate passed the measure 24-7 Wednesday afternoon, sending the bill to the House.
The House has its own bill that would add regulations but stop short of a ban.
THC is legal in Texas in hemp-derived products with a concentration of .03%. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) visited a store selling hemp in Austin Tuesday and was carded.
The owners said Patrick asked how many kids buy their products, but they said when Patrick asked if he could buy products, an employee still asked for his identification.
"I went out on the street to do a little investigation. They say, 'We keep people under 21 out,'" Patrick said. "I'm sure there are some good actors. I'm sure there are a lot of bad actors. Remember, people over 21 can go and buy it and give it to the kids."
Law enforcement attended an event at the Texas Capitol Wednesday urging lawmakers to pass the bill.
"We are not against compassionate use or medical marijuana," Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said. "But what we are against is this evil that has come out of the dark room of the same place. We need to put a stop to it."
Patrick says 8,300 locations selling products with THC have opened across Texas since the chemical became legal. He said many are near schools, and people buying products cannot be sure they are safe.
"They are doing $8 billion worth of business in Texas, preying on young people, preying on any adult who doesn't know what is really in the product they're buying," Patrick said. "We were all shocked Health and Human Services had, in essence, given permits for these shops to open. The most popular fast food you can think of, who opens 8,000 locations in less than four years? What business starts out at $8 billion in revenue?"
Allen Police Chief Steve Dye said the department has conducted its own investigations showing items marketed as candy, chips or cookies have tested "well above the .3% threshold." In some cases, he says investigations have found THC products had concentrations of 78%, "which is many times more than naturally grown marijuana grown in the past, which was less than 5% THC."
"Consumers have no idea what they're consuming in these containers," he said. "Most people think if you walk into a store and are able to buy something, it must be legal, and it must be safe. With these THC consumables, neither is true. Intentional mislabeling on many products has led to accidental overdoses and increased addiction."
At the same event Wednesday, several parents told stories of their kids' overdoses saying a 22-year-old son stepped in front of a train in Pecos, Texas because he "didn't understand what was happening to his brain." Another now "spends his day talking to imaginary people, not sleeping and refusing treatment."
"My son experienced severe illness from Delta 8 and Delta 10, struggling to eat and drink," Aubree Adams said. "This condition is called, 'cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome,' and can cause dehydration, seizures, and organ failures. The science is clear: THC can cause psychosis and lead to schizophrenia. It can worsen symptoms of PTSD, increase suicide risk, and intensify depression and anxiety."
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has called for additional research into the possible economic impact of a ban on THC.
Hometown Hero CBD commissioned a report in 2023 finding "cannabusinesses" employed 50,000 people in Texas, paid $1.6 billion in wages and generated $8 billion in revenue.
The Texas Hemp Business Council instead said the state should consider "thoughtful regulations" including a requirement for tamper-proof packaging, limiting sales to people 21 and older, and banning sales within a certain distance from schools.
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