May 29, 2024 – The Texas Senate State Affairs Committee hosted a hearing on adult-use hemp products. Watch testimony from invited witnesses, including representatives from regulatory agencies, testing labs, and the CEO of Texas Original, one of the three licensed medical cannabis dispensaries:
Public testimony can be watched here, starting @7:41:15.
Not unexpectedly, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is ramping up his efforts to ban “intoxicating” hemp products.
Between legislative sessions (known as the “interim”), committees of lawmakers are tasked with “interim charges,” which call on them to study various areas of policy and make recommendations.
The Senate State Affairs Committee has been issued a number of interim charges, including “Banning Delta 8 and 9: Examine the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Texas. Make recommendations to further regulate the sale of these products, and suggest legislation to stop retailers who market these products to children.”
This hearing is the beginning of their process to make recommendations that will be considered during the next legislative session, which will run from January 14, 2025 to June 2, 2025.
We oppose banning cannabis for adults, but like much of the industry, we welcome reasonable regulations like age restrictions. It’s also worth considering guidance for packaging and advertising, and consistent testing standards for in and out-of-state products. Most importantly, though, is empowering the Department of State Health Services to enforce rules and regulations already on the books. Review our testimony below.
