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Texas Senate panel lays groundwork for renewed push to ban THC products
Lawmakers and experts cited rising youth exposure, poison-center calls and hospital impacts as they weigh stricter rules before the 2027 session.
On Tuesday, the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services gathered for a public hearing to discuss the societal impacts of THC product consumption, inviting medical and law enforcement professionals to testify on health risks.
Senator Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, announced plans to reintroduce a ban after his 2025 Senate Bill 3 was vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott, who instead advised lawmakers to pursue stricter regulations on the hemp industry.
Dr. Dominic Lucia, a board-certified practitioner in emergency medicine, reported poison center calls for THC increased sharply from 700 in 2018 to more than 2600 calls in 2025, with emergency department visits also rising significantly.
The Texas Hemp Business Council warned that prohibition drives consumers into unregulated markets with fewer safeguards, while Katharine Neill Harris of Rice University's Baker Institute cautioned lawmakers conflated cannabis use with broader mental health challenges.
Both supporters and opponents are expected to spend the coming months preparing for another contentious fight at the Texas Capitol when lawmakers return in January 2027, with Perry applauding licensing fee increases from $258 to $10,000 per facility.