Texas bans intoxicating hemp flower effective March 31

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — In two-and-a-half weeks, buying a joint will no longer be legal in the state of Texas.

Recreational marijuana in all forms has been banned since 1931, but a 2019 definitional change has allowed cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy a similar product, hemp, as long as it contained less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC, commonly referred to as THC.

To make up for the lack of THC, which is what gets users high, manufacturers cultivated plants with high amounts of THCA, which, when smoked, breaks down into THC at about an 88% rate.

In the 2025 Texas Legislative session, lawmakers voted to ban hemp-derived THC, attempting to take intoxicating drinks, flower and edibles off the market. In a last-minute decision, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the ban, giving hemp manufacturers and hemp retailers a new lease on life.

Abbott initially put hemp regulations on last summer’s special session agenda — however lawmakers never agreed on comprehensive hemp reform. Instead, Abbott issued an executive order asking for stricter regulations on hemp-derived THC products.

One of those proposed reforms: “Revising testing requirements… to ensure that tests measure the total delta-9 THC content of a hemp-derived product by accounting for both delta-9 THC and the conversion of tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA).”

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) did just that — proposing the rule in January. After a public comment window in which the hemp industry voiced their displeasure, the rules were finalized on March 6.

“You’re talking about shuttering stores — if these stay in place — that employ over 50,000 Texans,” Mark Bordas, executive director of the Texas Hemp Business Council, said. “You’re talking about major........

© The Hill