Texas THC ban: Advocates seeking SB 3 veto to hold Monday press conference in Austin
AUSTIN - A coalition of Texans concerned about the looming ban on THC products is set for a press conference in Austin on Monday.
They say over 100,000 petition signatures and thousands of letters are expected to be delivered to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office in relation to their plea.
Anti-SB 3 Press Conference
According to the Friday press release from Texas Hemp Business Council, those expected to appear at the conference include farmers, veterans, small business owners and hemp advocates. They plan to speak out against SB 3, which would put an end to legal THC consumables within the state.
The coalition plans to meet at the Texas Capitol at 2 p.m. Monday in hopes of convincing Abbott to veto the bill, which has been passed by both the House and Senate.
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According to their press release, they are concerned about the dismantling of a $4.3 billion industry which they say supports 53,000 jobs, as well as the potential to "open the floodgates" to unregulated, unsafe products in the vacuum created by the legislation.
What they're saying:
The council's press release reads in part:
"The Texas Hemp Business Council and its supporters are calling on Governor Abbott to veto SB 3 and stand with the hundreds of thousands of Texans, including small business owners, workers, consumers and veterans, who depend on this industry for jobs, economic opportunity and the freedom to choose hemp-derived products."
Texas THC Ban
SB 3 has been championed through the legislative session by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has called the consumable products "poison." Patrick has come under fire by small business owners, who claim he "blatantly lied" about the contents of consumable THC products.
The other side:
Small business owners have been among the front runners of those in opposition of the bill. They say the industry is made up of over 8,000 businesses in the state, all of which would potentially be dismantled if the bill were signed into law.
Alongside small businesses are Texas veterans. They say THC has been a positive alternative to more addictive and potentially harmful substances like alcohol, opiates and prescription pills, and worry about those suffering from PTSD and other mental and physical maladies who might fall back into destructive habits if the substance is banned.
The backstory:
The THC products being sold by businesses in Texas were legalized via an accidental loophole created in 2019, when Texas passed legislation expanding the hemp industry. Farmers worry that closing off that loophole will be disastrous for their profits and employees, which have come to rely heavily on the booming industry over the past six years.
Texas Compassionate Use Program
While SB 3 would all but ban THC, there is still one possible, albeit narrow, legal option for those who rely on the substance. The Texas Compassionate Use Program, or TCUP, has been in place since 2015, allowing for medical marijuana use by a very select few who meet the requirements.
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This session, HB 46 had intended to expand on the parameters in TCUP. Included in the House's proposed expansion were honorably discharged veterans who would benefit from use, those experiencing chronic pain, glaucoma, traumatic brain injury, spinal neuropathy, Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases, degenerative disc disease and patients with a terminal illness or condition for which a patient is receiving hospice of palliative care.
On Saturday, Texas Representatives took to social media, rallying against a Senate amendment to the bill, which would have cut chronic pain, TBI and other conditions from those included in the new parameters. It also dramatically cut the number of new licenses to be issued. The House members on X were upset about the changes, saying many had approved of SB 3 under the condition that TCUP would be expanded.
Sunday, Patrick posted on X that he and Rep. Tim Oliverson (R-Cypress) came to an agreement on the legislation.
Will Gov. Abbott Ban THC?
What's next:
Abbott has declined to comment on whether he will sign SB 3 into law. The legislation has been sent to his desk, and while the governor has been vocal about bills he intends to sign, the THC ban has not been mentioned in the wake of pressure from opposing sides.
The governor has three choices before him. He can either sign the bill into law, veto the legislation, or allow it to sit on his desk for 10 days, at which point it will pass without his direct approval and take effect on Sept. 1.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Hemp Business Council and previous FOX 7 reporting.