A coalition of drug prevention organizations and the Sheriff’s Association of Texas have sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to sign legislation banning THC as the deadline for the governor to veto legislation approaches.
In the letter, the groups argue that Senate Bill 3 would close existing loopholes in the state’s legal hemp industry regulations that expose children to “untested, illicit, and synthetic” tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
SB 3 is a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who spearheaded the effort to advance the bill through the Texas Legislature this session.
“Many products sold contain marketing that youth find appealing, resemble kid friendly foods like Starburst and Oreos, include brightly colored packaging, cartoon characters, and candy flavors, increasing ingestion and poisonings among children,” read the letter.
According to the coalition letter, Texas saw a 495 percent increase in marijuana-related calls to poison control centers for children aged five and younger from 2017 to 2022.
It also noted that the Texas Compassionate Use Program would remain unaffected by the enactment of SB 3, meaning that disabled veterans and qualified patients could still retain access to medicinal marijuana.
Abbott signed legislation authorizing limited medicinal use of THC in 2015.
“We respectfully urge you to safeguard the health, safety, and futures of all Texans, particularly our youth, by signing Senate Bill 3 into law,” concludes the letter. “Your decisive action will have a lasting positive impact on public health and community well-being.”
The push by the Sheriff’s Association for SB 3 to become law is not a new development. In March, members of the group joined Patrick for a press conference at which he vowed to shut down THC shops in Texas.
Among the other signatories on the letter were representatives from Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, and Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas.
Both CADCA and SAM also issued their own, separate letters urging Abbott to sign SB 3.
CADCA President and CEO Barrye L. Price wrote that SB 3 would provide “much-needed clarity to law enforcement, public health agencies, and communities” on how to enforce state marijuana laws.
“The current legal ambiguity – created by inconsistent definitions and chemical innovation – is undermining enforcement efforts,” stated Price. “SB3 would give local, state, and federal partners a clear legal framework, reducing confusion and enabling swift action against illegal operators.”
SAM President and CEO Kevin Sabet, meanwhile, emphasized the psychoactive nature of Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC. Both compounds are currently legal in Texas in limited quantities and are used in THC products.
“According to the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], Delta-8 THC use is known to cause hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness,” wrote Sabet.
“Delta-8 THC has the same harmful impacts on teens and their developing brains as Delta-9 THC,” he added.
Calls for Abbott to sign SB 3 come as the governor faces equal pressure from others, including marijuana industry lobbying groups, to veto the legislation.
Earlier this week, Abbott said that he has “a thousand” measures that passed the legislature this session to get through, and he has not “gotten to SB 3 yet.”
“Let me tell you this: 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,” remarked Abbott.
The deadline for the governor to veto bills is Sunday, June 22. If the governor declines to take action on the measure, it will go into effect.
