Texas lawmakers are pushing a THC ban rooted in panic, not policy—threatening jobs, revenue, and basic freedoms.
Reefer Madness Lives On—This Time, in Texas
Let me take you back to a recent video clip I wish were satire: Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick holds up a bag of edibles like it’s radioactive waste and, with palpable fear, asks someone if they’d eat the whole bag. Now, for anyone with real-life cannabis experience, the answer is, “Sure—then I’ll get the munchies, take a nap, and wake up feeling groggy but fine.” That’s it.
This isn’t about safety. It’s not about science. It’s about control—and if you’ve seen the 1936 film Reefer Madness, you already know the vibe. Only now, it’s Reefer Madness 2: Electric Boogaloo, and the stakes are much higher.
Texas is on the verge of banning all THC products, and the consequences go way beyond whether someone can legally buy a gummy.
A Billion-Dollar Boogeyman
Let’s break this down: The U.S. cannabis industry in 2024 was worth over $30 billion in legal sales. It generated $4.4 billion in tax revenue for states and supported 440,000+ jobs. States like California, Illinois, and Colorado raked in hundreds of millions each, with one state even surpassing $1 billion in cannabis tax revenue.
Meanwhile, Texas is flirting with legislation—Senate Bill 3 (SB 3)—that would obliterate its own $8 billion hemp industry, destroy 53,000+ jobs, and wipe out $268 million in state tax revenue.
Why?
Because the Lt. Gov. watched too much Reefer Madness and decided fear was better than facts.
What SB 3 Actually Does
Here’s what the bill on Governor Abbott’s desk aims to do:
- Ban all THC products, including hemp-derived items like delta-8, delta-9, edibles, vapes, and beverages
- Limit legality to non-intoxicating compounds like CBD and CBG—under tighter restrictions
- Impose fines and potential jail time for possession
- Leave a tiny loophole for low-THC medical cannabis under the state’s Compassionate Use Program
Let’s be real: this isn’t about health or child safety. This is about crushing an industry that is affordable, accessible, and often used by people without access to traditional healthcare—namely, working-class Texans.
Manufactured Crisis, Manufactured Consent
This bill didn’t come from a groundswell of grassroots demand. There was no statewide vote. Texans didn’t wake up begging for their CBD gummies to be outlawed. This is top-down policymaking led by politicians who, let’s be honest, probably never passed a joint in their life unless it was to punish the person holding it.
And if you think I’m being harsh, consider this: Texas is the same state where police stood by during the Uvalde tragedy. But heaven forbid someone sells a weed brownie—they’ll kick down your door. If a kid were a Target store instead of an actual child, there’d be a full tactical unit deployed to “protect” it.
Reefer Madness Is Still a Class War
Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: Cannabis is cheap. And when something cheap helps people feel good—especially people without wealth or privilege—power structures move to criminalize it.
This bill isn’t just bad policy; it’s a calculated act of class warfare. It strengthens the wealthy, benefits private prison donors, and strips working-class Texans of both economic opportunity and medical relief.
Actionable Takeaways
- Question the narrative: Who actually benefits from banning cannabis products? Follow the money.
- Speak out: Contact Governor Abbott’s office to oppose SB 3. If you’re a Texan, your voice still matters.
- Support local businesses: If the ban goes through, thousands of small businesses will need community support to survive.
- Share real stories: Veterans, parents, patients—your testimonials cut through the hysteria and humanize this issue.
- Vote like it matters: Because it does. State and local elections shape cannabis policy far more than you might think.
Conclusion
Texas stands at a crossroads: Embrace a growing, tax-paying industry that supports thousands—or fall back into a dark age of misinformation, fear, and punishment disguised as public safety.
So what’ll it be: policy rooted in panic, or progress built on facts?
Let’s stop letting fear win. Let’s end Reefer Madness once and for all.