Around midnight on Sunday, June 22, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have banned intoxicating products made from hemp. Texas alone has a billion-dollar-per-year industry of unregulated gummies, drinks, vapes, joints, and other products, that are marketed everywhere from smoke shops to gas stations. The vetoed legislation targeted tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) such as delta-9 THC, derived from cannabis plants, and synthetic compounds including delta-8 THC. Even California banned intoxicating hemp products in 2024.
Senate Bill 3 was promoted by the powerful Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and had support from 105 of the 108 Republican state legislators. The bill also had strong support from school officials, the medical community, law enforcement, and many families that are dealing with the consequences of family members’ use of THC-infused products. Patrick said that he has held elected office for 17 years and that Senate Bill 3 is one of the top five “priority” bills in his career. Many assumed that the legislation would pass easily, but were surprised by the midnight veto.
