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AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Texas retailers will soon have to stop selling certain cannabis related products.<\/p>\n
Beginning March 31, smokable cannabis, often marketed as hemp, can no longer be sold under new rules<\/a> adopted by the Texas Department of State Health Services.<\/a><\/p>\n The change follows months of debate over how to regulate THC products that have become widely available in smoke shops and specialty stores across Texas.<\/p>\n State records show more than 9,000 retail locations in Texas are registered to sell consumable hemp products.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering what the new rule means and what products could disappear from shelves, here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd25 In case you missed it… <\/p>\n Why is Texas banning certain cannabis products?<\/p>\n State officials say the change is meant to tighten oversight of hemp products that can produce a high.<\/p>\n Under updated rules from the Texas Department of State Health Services, hemp products must now be tested using what regulators call a \u201ctotal THC\u201d<\/a> standard.<\/p>\n That testing counts both Delta-9 THC and compounds that can turn into THC when heated or smoked.<\/p>\n One of those compounds is THCA,<\/a> which is commonly found in smokable hemp products such as THCA flower.<\/p>\n Because of that chemical change, regulators say smokable hemp products can exceed the state\u2019s legal THC limit once they\u2019re used.<\/p>\n Are THC gummies and other hemp products still legal in Texas?<\/p>\n Yes, products that meet the state\u2019s THC limit and follow packaging, labeling and testing requirements can still be sold in Texas.<\/p>\n Texas legalized hemp products in 2019 after lawmakers passed House Bill 1325<\/a>, which allows hemp products containing no more than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC by dry weight.<\/p>\n The new state rules focus mainly on products meant to be smoked.<\/p>\n That means other forms of hemp products, including edibles, beverages and tincture oils that are placed under the tongue, may still be available as long as they comply with the state\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n How are Texas cannabis retailers responding to the ban?<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt like a gut punch,\u201d said Candice Stinnett, owner of Emerald Organics Cannabis Store<\/a> in Fort Worth<\/p>\n Stinnett has spent years advocating for the hemp industry in Texas and has watched several regulatory battles<\/a> unfold.<\/p>\n Stinnett said smokable cannabis products have become a cornerstone of her business.<\/p>\n \u201cI always say it\u2019s \u2018flower power\u2019 because smokable products are the most popular and about 60% of our sales,\u201d she said. \u201cAlthough regulators think people are just out here getting high, what we see at Emerald is people consuming this plant to help regulate pain, mood and sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n Because of how central smokable products are to her business, Stinnett said the rule could force major changes.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the elimination of flower and pre-roll smokables, we sadly will have to close our retail store,\u201d she said. \u201cBut our lounge, where we serve non-alcoholic drinks and edibles, will still be open.\u201d<\/p>\n When the new rule was announced, Stinnett said she immediately began preparing customers for the change.<\/p>\n \u201cI began making notes to put in customers\u2019 bags when they purchased something, sharing updates and announcements regarding this big change that\u2019s going to impact them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Stinnett said the uncertainty has already taken a toll on many small hemp businesses in Tarrant County.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not really a lot left in Tarrant County because a lot of them sadly had to close after the vape ban in September, after being just a little too nervous about where the industry was headed during the legislative session last year,\u201d she said. \u201cSo we\u2019ve seen stores close on every corner, but we\u2019ve just stayed strong.\u201d<\/p>\n With the new ban approaching, Stinnett said many remaining store owners are already bracing for what could come next.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all preparing. It\u2019s sad to see people who have become my friends have to pack up and shut down their shop, like lock the door for the last time,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019ve poured their life savings into creating a business for themselves and sharing the powerful therapeutic benefits of this plant.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n
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