AUSTIN (NEXSTAR) — State senators on Wednesday considered banning legal cannabis compounds delta-8 and delta-9 products that have fueled a growing industry through a legal loophole that allows products high in THC to be sold over the counter.
“There are a lot of issues we need to discuss here,” said Senate State Affairs Chairman Brian Hughes, R-Mineola, “including the prohibition of the sale of Delta 8 and Delta 9 and addictive marijuana products in Texas, what should be done about the sale of these products and specifically marketing these products to children.”
Current law allows the sale of products with less than 0.3 percent THC by weight, which has led to a wide variety of delta 8 and delta 9 products on store shelves, from gummies to chocolates, oils and mints. The market is largely unregulated and may encourage “bad actors” to lace products with carcinogens and other dangerous substances.
“I think there’s a good chance there could be more regulation,” said Leena Caven, owner of Tribe Cannabinoids in north Austin. “There are unscrupulous operators in this industry who are only interested in profit, and they’re creating Frankenstein products that are harmful to people, and they’re giving the whole market a bad name.”
But Caven worries lawmakers may be unaware of marijuana’s legitimate medical benefits.
“CBD and THC have a long history. They’ve been used for tens of thousands of years for all sorts of ailments, including pain relief and relieving any kind of anxiety or stress,” she says. “What’s happening now is that lawmakers are trying to make it illegal based on the misinformation that these products are being marketed to children, without knowing what these parts of the plant do for the body.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has directed state senators to consider banning the substances in a 2024 interim indictment, but it’s unclear how lawmakers will proceed.
