A ban on products containing hemp-derived THC passed the Texas state Senate on Friday for a second time this year.
Senate Bill 5, sponsored by state Sen. Charles Perry and supported by Gov. Greg Abbott, would outlaw all products that contain any detectable amounts of cannabinoids other than non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG).
As the Texas Tribune reported, the ban passed the state Senate on a 21-8 vote.
It will eventually head to the Texas state House, where all business is currently paused after Democratic lawmakers left the state in order to block a separate redistricting proposal.
Second Senate passage of Texas hemp ban
Friday’s vote represents the second time a law that would criminalize what’s estimated to be a $5.5 billion hemp sector in Texas passed the state Senate.
However, Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3 at the end of June.
Lawmakers are currently in a special session Abbott called in part to regulate rather than ban hemp.
More recently, Abbott said he supports outlawing hemp products with more than three milligrams of THC in Texas.
Among the first bills introduced was Perry’s SB5.
Perry also authored the ban that passed the Legislature in the spring.
According to a legislative analysis, the bill would:
- Ban any product with three or more milligrams of delta-9 THC.
- Ban so-called THCA flower, by tweaking the definition of THC under state law.
- Ban “any artificial or synthetic cannabinoids,” which would capture most delta-8 and delta-10 THC products.
“This isn’t the pot of the ’50s. At least we could predict what that was,” said Perry, a Republican.
“We don’t know what this is. One joint, one edible, can change your life.”
Texas House to consider marijuana legalization, hemp ban
Once business resumes, the House has two separate bills concerning cannabis to consider.
House Bill 5, a companion to the Senate bill, would ban THC products.
But House Bill 195 would legalize adult-use marijuana, allowing adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, with no more than 15 grams of that being in concentrated form.
Abbott is dead-set against legalization.
But it is unclear how the debate will play out in the House – or when that chamber will be able to address the issue.
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