CONROE, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott shot down a bill that aimed to ban THC in Texas.
Senate Bill 3 was vetoed by Governor Abbott in the 11th hour, just minutes before it was going to become law.
Texas Senate Bill 3 - THC Ban by Gage Goulding on Scribd
But the fight for THC isn’t over. In the same breath, the governor called for a special legislative session to develop comprehensive regulations for the industry.
The last-minute decision preserves a multibillion-dollar hemp industry in Texas that supports thousands of jobs, including many right here in Houston, and provides alternatives to traditional medications for many residents, including veterans dealing with PTSD and former alcoholics seeking substitutes.
VETO Proclamation SB 3 by Gage Goulding on Scribd
“We were very excited to see the Governor veto Senate Bill 3,” said Jake Bullock, CEO of Cann, one of Texas’s largest THC beverage manufacturers. “We had been applying quite a bit of pressure, both directly as Cann and through the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives.”
The hemp industry’s reach extends beyond traditional smoke shops.
Products range from gummies and chocolates to innovative beverages positioned as alcohol alternatives.
For small business owners like Momin Amir of Mango Island Smoke Shop in Conroe, THC products represent about 60% of their inventory.
“If it goes into effect, we’re closed, we are done,” Amir said, reflecting on the close call with the ban. “We’re a family business... literally like the American dream, trying to build it up.”
Political Divide Over Regulation
The veto has created a rift between the top leadership in Texas.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who championed the ban, criticized Abbott’s decision.
Throughout the legislative session, @GregAbbott_TX remained totally silent on Senate Bill 3, the bill that would have banned dangerous THC products in Texas. His late-night veto, on an issue supported by 105 of 108 Republicans in the legislature, strongly backed by law…
— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) June 23, 2025
“It puzzles me why my friend, Greg Abbott, Governor Abbott, would at the last minute, at about 22 minutes after 11, decide to veto this bill,” Lt. Governor Patrick said during a press conference on Monday.
He argued that law enforcement agencies, the Texas Medical Association, and pediatric groups supported the ban.
THC Sellers Actually Support Regulation
Surprisingly, many industry leaders agree with some aspects of the proposed regulations.
“Ninety-five percent of what the lieutenant governor was pushing in this ban, we agree with,” Bullock said. “There should not be high potency 300-milligram edibles in packaging marketed to children sold without IDing at a gas station.”
Current industry practices already include various safety measures.
“We are already doing all of these things. We are IDing. It’s 21 plus. We’re doing a lot of compliance. All these brands are testing their products,” Bullock explained.
“If it’s not regulated at all, there can be a lot of bad actors, and we don’t want those products. We don’t want our customers getting those products, we only want quality products in the market,” Amir added.
The special legislative session, scheduled to begin July 21, will focus on developing regulations that could include:
- Mandatory product testing
- Age restrictions
- Marketing limitations
- Local control over retail locations
- Enhanced enforcement funding
The upcoming special session will determine the future of THC products in Texas, balancing consumer access with safety concerns in what has become a significant economic sector for the state.
If you ask Lt. Governor Patrick, he’s fearful this will open the flood gates for legalizing marijuana in the Lone Star State.
“The governor of the state of Texas wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas,” Lt. Governor Patrick said. “That’s the headline, folks, because that’s what his proclamation does. Now, whether it’s unintentional and he didn’t think through it, or whether it is intentional, that’s the result of the veto.”
