El Paso smoke shops face uncertainty as Texas hemp rules remain tied up in court

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) – Smokable hemp products are back on the shelves in Texas for now after a judge ordered a pause to the ban.

Exactly how long that will last is still unknown.

Smoke shops in El Paso are trying to keep up with shifting Texas hemp regulations that remain tied up in legal challenges, leaving business owners and customers uncertain about what comes next.

A Travis County judge granted a temporary restraining order on Friday, stopping enforcement of new Texas hemp rules after a lawsuit from industry leaders and advocacy groups.

The temporary restraining order is expected to last for two weeks, until April 23.

The legal fight over Texas hemp rules dates back to 2021, when the industry challenged a delta-8 THC ban.

The Texas Supreme Court is expected to rule in that case, which could affect the current hemp lawsuit.

Both cases challenge whether state agencies can change rules without legislative approval.

At World Peace Smoke Shop in El Paso, employees said many customers do not fully understand the changing THC limits and what products could be affected.

“A lot of people were scared,” said Joshua Urutia, a customer service representative. “A lot of people were kind of, well, what am I gonna do.”

Urtuia said some products were being pulled as businesses tried to respond to the changing rules. “So all the flour, anything like pre-rolls, especially the disposables with the batteries, all those were being taken away,” he said.

The shop’s manager, Gabriel Silva, said customers have been confused but relieved that some products remain available for now. “My customers are feeling a little confused about it, but they are glad that we still have them for a little short period of time,” the manager said.

Employees said they have been adjusting how they communicate with customers as they try to prepare them for changes that could affect what is available in the coming weeks.

“It’s a little bit confusing, bring them back, but we’re hoping that we’ll get our customers back in,” the manager said.

Urtuia said customer awareness varies. “It’s still day-to-day customers that come in, and once we inform them about, oh, we also have Delta, then they’re more informed about it, but usually it’s a hit or miss,” he said.

With regulations shifting and legal challenges underway, businesses and customers are waiting to see what happens next.

Employees said their main goal through April 23 is keeping customers informed as the situation continues to evolve.

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