The governor of Texas still hasn’t made a decision on a bill lawmakers recently sent to his desk that would ban consumable hemp products with any traces of THC—but he says there are “meaningful positions and concerns on both sides of the issue.”
While advocates and stakeholders have continued to call for the vetoing of SB 3 which, they claim would eliminate hemp from Texas’ market, Governor. Greg Abbott, a Republican governor from Texas, said that there are hundreds of legislations to be reviewed and he still “hasn’t” finished the marijuana bill.
“I’ll tell you this: Listen, there are meaningful positions and concerns on both sides of the issue, and I’ll look into all of those and evaluate all of those,” he told reporters during a Q & A session following a bill signing ceremony for an unrelated measure.
That largely echoes comments Abbott made earlier this month, when he said SB 3 “is one of literally more than a thousand bills on my desk—all of which need my careful consideration and evaluation.”
The Governor said, “I’ll give them all the attention and time they deserve,” at that time. He was sitting next to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, one of its most vocal advocates. Dan Patrick.
In his recent remarks, it is notable that he appears to be taking both the supporters and critics of the bill into consideration.
This month, hemp activists and stakeholders also delivered over 100,000 petition signatures to Abbott asking him to veto this measure. Critics of the bill have said the industry—which employs an estimated 53,000 people—would be decimated if the measure becomes law.
Governors have three choices for this proposal. They can sign, veto or let it go into effect without their signature. His decision must be made by Sunday, 22nd June.
The governor’s spokesperson refused to divulge Abbott’s plans for the bill last month. He said that Abbott “will thoughtfully examine any legislation submitted to his desk.”
Texas legislators legalized hemp consumption in 2019 following the passage of the federal Farm Bill of 2018, which made the plant legal nationwide. That’s led to an explosion of products—including edibles, drinks, vape products and cured flower—sold by an estimated 8,000 retailers.
Military veterans advocates, including Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, have also called on the governor to veto the hemp ban, saying it “would cause irreversible harm to communities across the state.”
Farmers have also said the prohibition would devastate a key sector of the state’s agriculture industry.
In a poll commissioned by Texas Hemp Business Council, it was found that Texas Republican Primary voters opposed the ban of hemp products containing THC.
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Abbott also signed last week a law creating a consortium of state-funded researchers to carry out clinical trials using ibogaine for the treatment of substance use disorders. Project’s ultimate goal is to turn the psychedelic drug into a prescribed medication with FDA approval and the state keeping a share of profits.
The bill was sent to the Governor by the lawmakers.
This measure will expand the list of qualifying medical conditions for cannabis to include chronic back pain, TBI, Crohn’s and other inflammatory diseases. It also allows patients receiving palliative care or hospice to use marijuana.
Separately in Texas, a House committee approved a Senate-passed bill last month that would prohibit cities from putting any citizen initiative on local ballots that would decriminalize marijuana or other controlled substances—as several localities have already done despite lawsuits from the state attorney general.
Under the proposal, state law would be amended to say that local entities “may not place an item on a ballot, including a municipal charter or charter amendment, that would provide that the local entity will not fully enforce” state drug laws.
While several courts have previously upheld local cannabis decriminalization laws, an appellate court comprised of three conservative justices appointed by the governor has recently pushed back against two of those rulings, siding with the state in its legal challenge to the marijuana policy in Austin and San Marcos.
Despite the ongoing litigation and advancement of the House and Senate bills, Texas activists have their targets set on yet another city, Kyle, where they hope put an initiative before voters to enact local marijuana reform at the ballot this coming November.
A recent poll found that four in five Texas voters want to see marijuana legalized in some form, and most also want to see regulations around cannabis relaxed.
Missouri Cannabis Stakeholders Prepare 2026 Ballot Initiative To Create ‘Unified’ Marijuana And Hemp Regulations
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