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Members of the hemp business believe they will be receiving more support after the Texas Senate on Wednesday approved its second attempt to outlaw THC derived from hemp, setting up a fight with the House.
To move the bill to a final vote, which will take place in the next few days, Sen. R-Lubbock tentatively voted 20-9. Products that contain any measurable amount of any cannabinoid other than the non-intoxicating components of cannabis, cannabidiol and cannabigerol, or CBD and CBG, would be completely prohibited by the bill. Most hemp products, including those that meet the federal definition of legal, would be outlawed by this bill.
On Wednesday, Perry reaffirmed that the goal of legalizing hemp was never to make THC broadly accessible to the general people and that, in his view, the majority of the products marketed as hemp in Texas ought to be illegal under federal law. Additionally, he chastised those who claim that THC has therapeutic benefits, pointing out that it has never been authorized for such use.
According to Perry, Texas has never received its medical care over the counter from gas stations.
The Republican senator also opposed the governor’s proposal to regulate hemp similarly to alcohol, arguing that law enforcement lacks the resources necessary to oversee the alcohol sector, let alone the THC market.
He claimed that prohibition establishes a clear boundary for enforcement….Would I have supported prohibition if I had been living in the 1930s? Given what I now know, I most likely would have.
What happens to all the hemp products when it becomes illegal? Perry claimed he wasn’t worried about it.
Sen. D-San Antonio stated that a ban is effectively a rug-pull and that many people use THC to wean themselves off of alcohol and opioids. He stated that he wished to create a bridge that would permit either a more open Texas Compassionate Use Program, the state’s medicinal marijuana system, or a regulated cannabis market.
He expressed concern that many people have been compelled to use hemp since the TCUP program is so costly and challenging to acquire. They are using hemp instead of cannabis, which isn’t the ideal option in my opinion, but it’s the only one they have.
Perry claimed that without marijuana being outlawed, the TCUP program, which lawmakers decided to expand earlier this year, could not continue. Even though the TCUP expansion might take time to occur, it s better than what is currently happening in Texas, Perry said.
Sen. D-Dallas also submitted two proposals on Wednesday that propose regulation rather than outright prohibition. would establish safety guidelines for products made from hemp, such as raising the legal drinking age to 21 years old, limiting the amount of THC in consumables to 5 mg per serving, requiring child-safe packaging, and rerouting THC tax money to benefit law enforcement and public health. Small-scale personal marijuana usage would no longer be illegal under his proposal.
Over the next weeks, this conflict of alternatives is anticipated to unfold as some lawmakers, notably Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Perry, are adamant about outright banning the substance, while others are trying to find a way to allow THC products to remain under strict regulation.
Abbott has requested that during the 30-day special session that started last week, lawmakers give hemp regulatory concerns top priority. Senate Bill 3, which was passed by lawmakers during this year’s regular legislative session but vetoed by Abbott, is effectively revived in SB 5.
In his letter, Abbott encouraged lawmakers to regulate hemp sales in a manner similar to that of liquor sales, which would include forbidding sales to anybody under the age of 21 and prohibiting sales close to locations where children congregate. Strict penalties would be imposed on any shop who does not comply. These limitations have mostly proved acceptable to the hemp sector.
Abbott s office recently clarified that he supports a ban for those under 21, with a full ban on extraordinarily dangerous synthetic products.
Supporters of hemp, especially veterans and those with chronic illnesses, fiercely opposed the veto, arguing that hemp was a more affordable and easily accessible option than the medical marijuana program. Patrick, a strong advocate for a THC ban, denounced the veto as an effort to legalize cannabis for adult use.
Although it’s unclear how the THC issue will unfold in the House, a number of legislation have been filed, indicating divisions within the body.
While Rep. D-Dallas’s bill would legalize cannabis for adults, Rep. R-New Boston submitted House Bill 5, a companion bill to Senate Bill 5, which prohibits THC products, on Monday.
HB 195 would allow adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, with no more than 15 grams of that being in concentrated form. It would place the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations in charge of the state’s commercial cannabis sector. Adults may possess up to 10 ounces of THC products at home; any quantity beyond 2.5 ounces must be kept in a locked container or other restricted space.
Bills varying from a prohibition to complete legalization of THC have been proposed by other lawmakers.
from Representative D-Houston, would mandate that hemp goods containing THC include a number of warning labels. Warnings concerning cannabis poisoning, impaired brain development, and the possibility of mental health issues would all be included on the labels.
Sen. would make it illegal for hemp products to be advertised or packaged for children, and any infraction would be considered a misdemeanor. Rep. Nicole Collier, a Democrat from Fort Worth, introduced House Bill 42, which would protect consumers who purchase what they believe to be legal hemp goods but may really contain an illegal level of THC.
The lineup for The Texas Tribune Festival continues to grow! Attend as newsmakers, innovators, and all-star leaders take the stage in downtown Austin on November 13 and 15. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; New York Media Editor-at-Large Kara Swisher; U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso; comedian, actor, and writer John Mulaney; and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson are among the most recent members.
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