Top Takeaways:
- Abbott vetoes sweeping THC ban, preserving Texas’s multi‑billion‑dollar hemp industry.
- Calls special session for detailed regulation, aiming to align state rules with federal law.
- Tensions rise: veto puts governor at odds with Lt. Gov. Patrick, who championed the ban.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday night vetoed a sweeping bill that would have outlawed all consumable hemp-derived THC products, including popular items containing delta-8 and delta-9. The veto, issued just minutes before a constitutional deadline, preserves the state’s multi-billion-dollar hemp industry—at least for now.
The rejected legislation, Senate Bill 3, was a top priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and would have imposed a blanket ban on consumable THC products. But Abbott, who had remained silent on the bill throughout the legislative session, rejected the measure amid growing pressure from industry stakeholders, veterans, and activists across the political spectrum.
In a veto statement, Abbott warned the bill would likely be overturned in court and fail to achieve its stated public health goals. “Allowing Senate Bill 3 to become law—knowing that it faces a lengthy battle that will render it dead on arrival in court—would hinder rather than help us solve the public safety issues this bill seeks to contain,” Abbott said. “The current market is dangerously under-regulated, and children are paying the price.”
Shortly after issuing the veto, Abbott called a special legislative session beginning July 21, urging lawmakers to pass comprehensive regulations instead of a ban. He proposed a framework similar to alcohol regulation, including prohibiting sales to minors, mandating product testing, allowing local governments to opt out, and funding law enforcement to oversee compliance.
The move puts Abbott at direct odds with Patrick, who had called the ban one of his “top five” legislative priorities and previously threatened to force a special session if it wasn’t passed. Patrick responded harshly on social media, accusing Abbott of abandoning families and law enforcement. “I feel especially bad for those who testified and poured their hearts out on their tragic losses,” Patrick wrote. “This veto is a mistake.”
Supporters of SB 3, including Patrick and Senate allies, had framed the measure as necessary to protect children from high-potency THC products. Patrick personally visited hemp retailers across Texas and released videos accusing the industry of deceptive and dangerous practices. Opponents, including military veterans and farmers, argued that a total ban would harm thousands of small businesses and deny consumers access to non-opioid pain management alternatives.
The hemp industry in Texas has grown rapidly since 2019, when lawmakers unintentionally opened the door to THC derivatives while trying to support agricultural hemp. Since then, more than 8,000 businesses have begun selling hemp-derived edibles, vapes, beverages, and flower, creating an estimated 50,000 jobs and generating about $8 billion in economic activity annually.
Industry advocates cheered the governor’s decision. “Governor Abbott showed real leadership today,” the Texas Hemp Business Council said in a social media statement. “Texas is stronger for it.”
The Legislature had passed SB 3 by replacing a previously proposed regulatory framework with a full prohibition. As a partial counterbalance, lawmakers also expanded the state’s medical marijuana program during the session.
Abbott’s decision sets the stage for a heated debate in the special session, where lawmakers are expected to revisit regulation of hemp-derived THC products. With public safety, industry growth, and constitutional questions all in play, the outcome remains uncertain.
