Why Are Texas Senators Lying About THC?

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his allies are working overtime to dismantle a booming industry by using fear, misinformation, and outdated ideology to justify a full ban on hemp-derived THC in Texas.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about protecting children. This is about criminalizing relief, gutting small businesses, and stalling a multibillion-dollar opportunity for Texas under the guise of moral panic. Their proposed bills, Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 28, seek to either outright ban or severely restrict delta-8 THC and other hemp-based products, despite clear evidence that they benefit Texans both medically and economically.

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The Facts: THC Isn’t the Enemy, Fearmongering Is

Delta-8 THC is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in small amounts in the cannabis plant. It delivers milder psychoactive effects than delta-9 THC and is frequently paired with CBD, known for its pain-relieving and anti-anxiety properties. These products have been legal since Texas passed the 2019 Farm Bill and they’ve done more good than harm.

According to testimony from veterans, cancer patients, and chronic pain sufferers across the state, these products offer real, accessible relief. And unlike opioids, they aren’t addictive, aren’t leading to overdoses, and aren't destroying families.

The real public health threat? Misinformation. Dan Patrick recently claimed that Texas stores were selling products with “unlimited THC” and targeting kids, invoking imaginary boogeymen instead of looking at actual data. There is zero credible evidence that regulated hemp-derived THC products are harming children. What is harming Texans? A lack of access to alternative treatments, a struggling mental health system, and the criminalization of wellness.

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The Economy Is Thriving But Only If Lawmakers Let It

Since the legalization of hemp-derived THC products in 2019, a vibrant, job-creating industry has flourished in Texas. According to Leafly’s 2022 Jobs Report, the legal cannabis industry supports over 428,000 full-time jobs nationwide with many concentrated in states that legalized cannabis entirely. Texas has barely scratched the surface, and yet it’s already seeing the financial benefits.

In states like Colorado, California, and Michigan, legal cannabis has contributed billions in tax revenue. Colorado alone collected $423 million in cannabis tax revenue in 2021. Meanwhile, Texas is leaving money on the table, money that could fund education, infrastructure, and public health initiatives because of political theater.

Let’s not forget: the 2019 law allowed these businesses to open legally. Veterans groups, rural entrepreneurs, and local small business owners have built their livelihoods around these products. Now, under Patrick’s bills, they could lose everything overnight.

Follow the Money: Why do Texas Politicians Want THC Off the Table?

If you're wondering why leaders like Dan Patrick are dead-set on banning hemp-derived THC while opioids continue to flow freely through Texas communities, look no further than profit and power. THC can be grown, sold, and accessed without the need for expensive prescriptions, insurance networks, or visits to tightly controlled medical providers. That makes it a threat, especially to pharmaceutical profits and the political donors who depend on them.

In 2022 alone, pharmaceutical companies spent over $350 million lobbying Congress and state legislatures across the country. Many of these companies manufacture opioid medications, some of which are more dangerous and more addictive than anything found in a legal THC gummy or vape.

According to a 2020 study published in Health Affairs, states that legalized medical marijuana saw a significant reduction in opioid prescriptions, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid patients. That’s a direct financial loss for pharmaceutical companies and they know it.

Dan Patrick and his cronies have outright lied about THC overdoses as they push this new bill. It is blatant and disgusting that politicians who should work for the people would prefer to twist statistics and data for their own greedy desires.

It’s no coincidence that the same politicians pushing these anti-THC bills have received campaign donations from pharmaceutical giants and medical lobbying groups. Texas’ own opioid crisis is quietly subsidized by a system that rewards prescription volume over patient health. In 2021, over 3,000 Texans died from opioid overdoses, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Compare that to the zero recorded deaths from THC overdose. The numbers speak for themselves.

By banning THC, Texas politicians aren’t protecting children, they’re protecting a broken system. One that keeps people sick, dependent, and tied to expensive treatments when there’s a cheaper, safer, natural alternative already working in 26 other states.

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Texans Deserve Better Than This Manufactured Crisis

The hearings on SB 3 and HB 28 revealed what many of us already knew: the people don’t want this ban. The majority of those who testified were against it. Even those who supported HB 28 called for regulation, not prohibition. There’s a huge difference between keeping products out of the hands of children and shutting down an entire industry.

This isn’t about THC. It’s about control. It’s about pushing a moral agenda that ignores science, ignores medicine, and ignores the voices of real Texans, especially those struggling with PTSD, anxiety, chronic illness, and pain.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is using fear to manipulate the public. But the facts are on our side. The science is on our side. And most importantly, the people are on our side.

It’s time to stop letting lies shape our laws.