Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) vetoed legislation seeking a sweeping ban on THC products, a move that highlighted the divide among Texas Republicans in how they view cannabis and how to approach the state’s multibillion-dollar hemp industry. 

Senate Bill 3, championed by Republicans such as Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Charles Perry, would implement a ban on products containing THC, the psychoactive chemical found in cannabis and hemp. The ban on consumable hemp products with any trace of THC, commonly associated with recreational cannabis, included prohibitions against the usage of delta-8 and delta-9, which are both found in the cannabis plant. Banned products would have included hemp-derived cannabinoids in gummy, candy, drink, vape, or flower form. 

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Abbott, who has been friendly with the medical marijuana industry, issued a last-minute veto of the bill Sunday evening, explaining he believed the sweeping ban would be struck down by the federal courts, which blocked a similar law in Arkansas in 2023. The bill would not survive constitutional challenges due to a Republican-led federal Farm Bill in 2018 that legalized hemp products, the governor said, adding concerns that the sweeping legislation would make “felons” out of “innocent Texans,” like veterans treating PTSD. Abbott said regulation is still necessary, albeit not a total ban, as he ordered a special session beginning July 21 for lawmakers to tackle the matter, along with other issues. 

“Allowing Senate Bill 3 to become law — knowing that it faces a lengthy battle that will render it dead on arrival in court — would hinder rather than help us solve the public safety issues this bill seeks to contain,” Abbott wrote in a veto message. “The current market is dangerously under-regulated, and children are paying the price. If Senate Bill 3 is swiftly enjoined by a court, our children will be no safer than if no law was passed, and the problems will only grow.” 

“Passing a law is not the same thing as actually solving a problem,” he continued. “Texas needs a bill that is enforceable and will make our communities safer today, rather than years from now. Next month, the Legislature will have the opportunity to address this serious issue. I look forward to working with them to ensure we get it right.” 

The governor’s decision sparked backlash from traditional allies such as Patrick, who has described THC-infused items as a “poison in our communities.” Proponents of the bill argue a ban is essential to shield young people from intoxicating THC products, which, unlike CBD products, contain the ingredients that make users “high.”

“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 enforcement, many in the medical and education communities, and the families who have seen their loved ones’ lives destroyed by these very dangerous drugs, leaves them feeling abandoned,” Patrick said in a post to X. “I feel especially bad for those who testified and poured their hearts out on their tragic losses.”

Other Texans disagreed with the lieutenant governor’s broad approach. 

Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, one of the largest veterans groups in the Lone Star State, came out against the bill, backing a petition that argued the ban would “deprive Texans of natural alternatives for treating chronic pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders.” The petition has garnered over 154,000 signatures as veterans, including in Texas, which vies with California for having the highest number of veterans, have increasingly used cannabis products to treat PTSD symptoms. 

TEXAS BILL TO BAN ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF THC MOVES TO GREG ABBOTT’S DESK

State lawmakers will meet in July to try to find middle ground between Abbott and Patrick. 

“Texas must enact a regulatory framework that protects public safety, aligns with federal law, has a fully funded enforcement structure, and can take effect without delay,” Abbott said.