Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has vetoed a controversial bill that would have banned consumable hemp products containing any trace of THC, defying a major push from Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) and a large majority of Republican lawmakers.
Senate Bill 3, authored by Sen. Charles Perry (R), aimed to prohibit hemp-derived products like edibles, vapes, and drinks that contain THC—the psychoactive component of cannabis. Critics warned the legislation would devastate the state’s booming hemp industry, which employs an estimated 53,000 Texans and supports more than 8,000 retailers.
Abbott’s veto on Sunday followed weeks of silence, during which he said he was still reviewing the measure among a flood of other bills. In the meantime, advocates delivered more than 100,000 petition signatures urging him to block the legislation.
“This is a win for freedom and free markets,” said Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, in a statement following the veto. “We are deeply grateful to Governor Abbott for listening to the people of Texas and recognizing that regulation is a better approach.”
Lt. Gov. Patrick, a vocal proponent of the bill, blasted the governor’s decision. “His late-night veto… leaves families who’ve lost loved ones to these dangerous drugs feeling abandoned,” Patrick said on social media.
Opposition to SB 3 came from a broad coalition, including veterans groups, farmers, and business leaders. The Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars warned the bill would cause “irreversible harm to communities across the state,” while farmers said it threatened a key part of Texas agriculture.
Polls also indicated the bill was unpopular among voters. A recent GOP-affiliated survey found bipartisan opposition to the ban, and a Texas Hemp Business Council poll showed primary voters rejecting the proposal.
Abbott has called a special legislative session for July 21, stating that SB 3 and other vetoed bills will be reconsidered. For now, Texas’s hemp industry remains intact—at least temporarily.
Read the whole article from MarijuanaMoment here.
