Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing back against Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent executive order on THC, warning that the governor’s actions could legitimize dangerous and unregulated drug sales across the state.
In a fiery statement issued Friday, Patrick said the order issued earlier this week—intended to curb youth access to psychoactive THC products—falls far short of what’s needed and sends a dangerous message to an already emboldened industry.
“This is not a personal fight with the governor,” said Patrick. “It is a disagreement on extremely important policy.”
Patrick has led the Senate in passing legislation multiple times this year that would have enacted a complete ban on THC-infused products, including Delta-8 and Delta-10 synthetics.
After Abbott vetoed the legislation during the regular session, the House declined to address the issue during the special session. In response, Abbott issued an executive order banning sales to anyone under 21, requiring age verification, and restricting store proximity to schools and churches.
Abbott argues the executive order provides “safety for kids and freedom for adults.”
For Patrick, that’s not enough.
“The Governor’s executive order, intentionally or not, has sent a signal to the THC industry that they have a state seal of approval on the current THC market,” he said.
He pointed to posts from THC retailers celebrating the order as legitimizing their business, and argued that the move has been interpreted as a green light for continued sales of products he believes are harmful and unregulated.
“Dangerous, untested, mislabeled, high-potency THC products continue to be sold to minors and adults,” Patrick said, citing undercover video footage showing smoke shop employees describing the contents as potentially lethal.
Patrick also claimed that, in negotiations with the governor last week, there had been an agreement on far more sweeping restrictions than what ultimately appeared in the executive order.
“There was agreement to prohibit smoke shops, convenience stores with gas pumps, and corner stores from selling any THC product,” Patrick said in a statement. “There was agreement that only Texas-grown consumable hemp products could be sold in retail stores. There was agreement to ban all smokable THC products and ban all Delta 8 and Delta 10 synthetic products.”
He added, “The executive order does none of this. Most of the issues in the executive order are left for agencies to look at in the future.”
Asked about Patrick’s statement at a press conference Friday afternoon, Abbott said he issued the order because of inaction in the legislature.
“The fact of the matter is, we had a lot of opportunities, and I put a lot of ideas on the table to make sure that we took action by both the House and the Senate to deny these products to our kids. That was not passed …and so I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to let a day go by without doing something about that,” said Abbott.
Patrick, however, has reiterated that only a full prohibition will protect Texas youth.
“We have seen the damage of these products and the THC industry’s efforts to target children,” said Patrick. “The difference here is that one highly potent THC product can cause irreversible damage to a young person’s mind forever.”
Patrick expressed support for the state’s medical marijuana program under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, but he drew a hard line against recreational marijuana or anything that resembles it.
“We do not want to be another failed Colorado,” he said.
