Smoke shop owners in Corpus Christi say a new federal ban on THC-derived hemp products could shutter dozens of stores and cost local jobs.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A move by Congress to ban THC-derived hemp products has sparked alarm among Corpus Christi shop owners, who say the change could shutter dozens of local businesses and leave employees without work.

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The provision was included in the federal spending bill signed Thursday night, a measure that reopened the government and funds operations through Jan. 30. The language, pushed by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, aims to close what he described as a loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp but allowed the sale of psychoactive derivatives.

For shop owner Bryan Quice, the news came less than a month after he renewed multiple federal licenses for his business, Crystal Palace VIP and Goods Smoke Shop.

“One hundred percent blindsided by this,” Quice said. “Paying taxes for it, paying license fees for it, upgrading licenses for it… now those licenses could be useless.”

If the prohibition stands, the ban would take effect in one year. Quice estimates that more than 50 local shops could be wiped out, along with the three to ten employees each store typically staffs.

The industry narrowly avoided a similar restriction earlier this year when Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a Texas bill that sought to ban many of the same products. That decision temporarily boosted confidence among retailers, who now say the federal action erased those gains overnight.

Shop owner Rene Peña, who runs Panacea Hash Garden, said the ban threatens more than business profits.

“After Abbott’s veto kind of legitimized our industry, it’s sad to see them go back and limit us again,” Peña said. “Most people just want opportunity. Not a handout. Opportunity.”

Those concerns extend to their customers, many of whom rely on hemp-derived products to help with sleep, stress or chronic pain.

“People come in saying they can’t sleep,” Quice said. “I recommend a gummy or a pre-roll, and when they come back the next day saying it worked — that’s what keeps me doing this.”

The ban could still be reversed or modified if both chambers of Congress and the president agree to make changes, or if a court grants an injunction sought by industry advocates. If not, the nationwide prohibition will take effect next year.