Today in Austin, Senate Bill 3 was debated, amended, and passed in the Senate. Next Step: SB 3 will be sent to the Texas House for further consideration.
Senate Bill 3 aims to significantly restrict the legal market for hemp products by banning THC and nearly all other cannabinoids. If passed, the bill would allow consumable hemp products to include only cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG). The bill would also institute age restrictions for all consumable hemp products and require child-resistant packaging. Marketing and advertising would be limited as to not appeal to children and no products with any amount of any cannabinoid can be sold within 1,000 feet of a school.
We share the senator’s concern about youth access and potentially dangerous products sailing under the radar of regulators, but we oppose banning THC for responsible adult use. Such a ban would hand this multi-billion dollar industry over to the illicit market, abandoning all opportunity to enforce regulations.
Watch the Senate Floor Debate:
Amendments include a requirement that CBD/CBG products (the only cannabinoids that remain legal under this bill) be tested in-state, each product must be registered with DSHS for law enforcement verification, no consumable hemp product may include any other mind-altering substance, and manufacturing/sales of unauthorized consumable hemp products would be a third degree felony. Read more details from Marijuana Moment.
In advance of the vote, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick hosted a press conference. He was surrounded by law enforcement and several senators who support SB 3. His primary concerns were: youth access and potential harms of “synthetic” THC. Fear-based legislation will not yield the intended results. What Texas needs is effective, enforceable regulation. Click here to watch the video and read our full response.