Senator Charles Perry has formally filed Senate Invoice 3 (SB 3), a sweeping piece of laws that, whereas introducing some shopper protections, in the end seeks to re-criminalize THC and almost all different cannabinoids in Texas’ booming hemp market.

If enacted, this invoice would undo years of progress, forcing the multi-billion-dollar hemp trade underground and eliminating a thriving market that gives jobs and secure, regulated merchandise to accountable adults.

SB 3 goals to ban THC and all cannabinoids besides cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) in consumable hemp merchandise, drastically decreasing shopper decisions and financial alternatives. Whereas the invoice consists of age restrictions, child-resistant packaging mandates, and tighter promoting controls to forestall youth entry, it goes too far by criminalizing companies and shoppers alike.

“We share Senator Perry’s concern about regulatory oversight and youth entry,” stated Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Hashish Coverage Middle. “Nonetheless, an outright ban on THC will solely gas the illicit market, making it unimaginable to implement rules and guarantee product security for Texas shoppers.”

Key Provisions of SB 3

Client Safety Measures

• Necessary testing for microbial contamination in consumable hemp merchandise.
• Retailers should report cannabinoid content material for all hemp merchandise to the Texas Division of State Well being Companies (DSHS).
• Medical claims are prohibited in packaging and promoting.
• Labels should certify that any cannabinoid aside from CBD or CBG just isn’t current past 0.0001% on a dry-weight foundation.

Restrictions on Youth Entry

• An individual should be 21+ to buy any hemp product containing cannabinoids.
• Hemp merchandise should be displayed individually from objects authorized for youngsters to eat.
• No hemp product containing any cannabinoids might be bought inside 1,000 ft of a faculty.
• Strict packaging rules requiring tamper-evident, child-resistant, and resealable packaging for multi-serving merchandise.

Extreme Legal and Monetary Penalties

• Third-degree felony for manufacturing or promoting hemp merchandise containing cannabinoids aside from CBD or CBG.
• Class A misdemeanor for possessing such merchandise, with potential for twin prosecution underneath further legal guidelines.
• Class A misdemeanor for delivery or mailing any consumable hemp product containing cannabinoids.
• Administrative fines as much as $10,000 per violation for companies that don’t adjust to new rules.

Financial Affect: A Blow to Texas’ Rising Hemp Business

Texas’ hemp trade, valued at $8 billion in 2022, helps an estimated 50,000 jobs, with projected development to $10–15 billion in 2025. By pushing THC and different cannabinoids into prohibition, SB 3 threatens 1000’s of livelihoods and eliminates shopper entry to examined, regulated merchandise.

In 2019, Sen. Perry performed a pivotal function in legalizing hemp in Texas, aligning the state with federal rules. Nonetheless, because the trade developed, laboratories started legally changing CBD to Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC, creating a sturdy marketplace for various cannabinoids. SB 3 now seeks to dismantle this progress by criminalizing merchandise which were legally bought and taxed in Texas for years.

What’s Subsequent?

SB 3 is a precedence for Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, signaling that it could transfer rapidly via the Senate. Nonetheless, the Texas Home seems much less inclined to re-criminalize THC, suggesting the battle over hemp regulation is much from over.