A federal ban on most THC hemp products was quietly tucked into the government funding bill Congress passed, a move that will outlaw items like intoxicating gummies, vapes, and cannabis-infused drinks nationwide after a one-year phaseout period.

For Texas business owners who rely on those products, the impact could be devastating.

Fort Worth shop owner fears closure 

Candice Stinnett, who owns Emerald Organics Cannabis in Fort Worth, said the ban would effectively shut down her store.

“It was just…a gut punch,” Stinnett said.

Lawmakers cite loophole in 2018 bill 

State Sen. Charles Perry, a Republican from Texas, said the change is long overdue.

“This was not intended to create a consumable pot market,” Perry said.

He argues that the 2018 Farm Bill created a loophole that allowed businesses to sell THC hemp products because it did not clearly ban them. Under the new federal law, any THC product will be limited to 0.4 milligrams per container, an amount experts say is nearly undetectable.

For comparison, Stinnett said most products on her shelves contain 50 to 100 milligrams per container, and a single edible typically contains 5 to 10 milligrams.

“Emerald would not be here,” she said. “There’s no way we can or would sustain that. That’s not even a market here.”

Supporters cite health and addiction concerns 

Perry said his support for the ban is rooted in concerns about addiction, public health, and marketing that he believes target children. He also argued that states with recreational marijuana have seen social impacts.

Industry leaders warn of black market 

Others in the industry strongly disagree with the move, including Dwayne Carson, Federal Affairs Director for Hemp Industry and Farmers of America. He said Congress acted swiftly on this bill and that banning these kinds of products could push consumers toward unregulated markets.

“Most of us in the industry want to take this off convenience store shelves if it’s not regulated,” Carson said. “But what they did was take away a choice…The sense of the industry right now is anger, caught off guard,” he said. “Members of Congress, in the dead of night, slipped something in the bill to take that choice away.”

Ban takes effect in one year 

The federal ban takes effect in one year. Perry said Texas will continue to support medical users who access THC through prescription.

Stinnett hopes federal lawmakers consider new legislation and urges business owners and consumers who rely on THC products to speak up.

“Encouraging people to have our voices heard on a federal level now,” she said. “Because this is bigger than Texas now.”