Texas Governor Issues Executive Order To Regulate Hemp THC

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📝 usncan Note: Texas Governor Issues Executive Order To Regulate Hemp THC

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Hemp flower sold at a shop in Houston Texas

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday issued an executive order calling on state officials to regulate hemp products containing THC, the compound primarily responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana. Under the order, intoxicating hemp products will largely remain legal, although sales of such merchandise to minors will be prohibited, according to a report from the Texas Tribune.

“Hemp should not be sold to our kids,” Abbott wrote on Wednesday on the social media platform X. “Today, I issued an Executive Order cracking down on unsafe hemp products — banning sales to minors, strengthening enforcement & ensuring Texans know what they’re buying. Safety for kids, freedom for adults.”

Abbott’s executive order directs the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to ban the sale of THC products to minors. The order also directs the agency to require identification of all customers purchasing THC products and to establish rules to revoke the permits of retailers who fail to comply with the requirement.

Order Does Not Specify Minimum Age To Buy Hemp THC Products

The order requires TABC and DSHS to begin the rulemaking process to set the minimum age to purchase hemp THC products, although the directive does not set a deadline for the new rules to take effect. The executive order also does not set a specific age to purchase hemp THC products, although Abbott called on lawmakers several times to limit such purchases to adults aged 21 and older.

“Texas will not wait when it comes to protecting children and families,” Abbott said in a statement from his office. “While these products would still benefit from the kind of comprehensive regulation set by the Texas Legislature for substances like alcohol and tobacco, my executive order makes sure that kids are kept safe and parents have peace of mind now, and that consumers know the products they purchase are tested and labeled responsibly.”

The order directs DSHS to begin reviewing current rules within 10 business days to assess whether new regulations such as tighter labelling and testing requirements, improved recordkeeping to facilitate oversight and increased licensing fees should be adopted. Additionally, Abbott’s executive order calls on DSHS and TABC to coordinate with the Texas Department of Public Safety to beef up enforcement of current regulations.

Abbott’s order also requires DSHS, TABC, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and other relevant agencies to collaborate on a comprehensive “regulatory framework,” citing a House of Representatives proposal (HB 309) that would have created the Texas Hemp Council to study and develop rules for THC products and establish testing and licensing requirements for the hemp industry.

Hemp Advocates Praise Abbott’s Executive Order

Cannabis advocates and representatives of the hemp industry, which has grown to more than $8 billion annual market and now employs about 53,000 people, according to a report from CBS News, welcomed the news that Abbott had rejected a legislative proposal to ban hemp THC products entirely.

Kyle Bingham, a Texas farmer and vice president of the National Hemp Growers Association, said he believes the regulations that follow the executive order will help put unscrupulous operators out of business while protecting conscientious local businesses.

“I know there’s going to be extra paperwork, there’s going to be more things to do for compliance, but I think that’s just part of the industry becoming more professional,” Bingham said.

Heather Fazio, director of advocacy group the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, said in a statement on Wednesday that Abbott’s executive order is an “important step toward a responsible hemp market” in Texas.

“By keeping these products away from kids and holding businesses accountable through clear rules and enforcement, the Governor is advancing both public safety and personal freedom,” said Fazio, according to a report from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.