SAN ANTONIO – A years-long battle over the sale of THC products in Texas has come to a head.
A ban the takes effect at midnight will remove thousands of products from store shelves.
The strict ban is delivering a massive blow to the THC industry, and many local smoke shops. As of July 31st, several of their products won’t be legal to buy any more.
For the past several months, a question mark has hovered over the future of THC product sales. Now, it’s a period.
“There really is no way to plan for this,” said Jacob Warner, co-owner of Alamo Bud Co. “Everything changes so fast, but there are a lot of businesses that are going to shut down.”
He says roughly 70%of his products will have to come off store shelves.
“Every time they take it off the shelves it’s a big hit in business, but we just adapt and overcome,” Warner said.
The hard deadline comes after months of back-and-forth debate over THC and its doses. The ban includes synthetic Hemp-based THC products with Delta-8 and Delta-10.
“It’s crazy because we want regulation but they’re just flat out shutting it down,” said Jackie Walji, she owns Mellow Monkey on the west side.
Products with Delta-9 are still legal. Like edibles, and THC drinks, which are even available at some gas stations. State officials say this ban comes in the name of safety.
“If anything this is gonna make it more dangerous for kids,” Warner said. “Kids are always gonna get it no matter what. They’re not coming to the store to get it so they’re getting it on the street.”
“Most of my customers use it as some form of medicine whether or not it’s for stress/anxiety, pain anything medicinal,” Walji said. “I have people that are almost on breakdown because they don’t want to go back on medication.”
Despite opposition from hundreds of business owners, the ban is a done deal.
Those products are illegal as of midnight and carry penalties of fines — and even jail time. Business owners say they’re still keeping a close eye on the situation.