{"id":467918,"date":"2026-10-16T15:26:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T15:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467918\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T15:26:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T15:26:32","slug":"democrat-vikki-goodwin-rallies-in-support-of-recreational-cannabis-in-san-antonio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467918\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrat Vikki Goodwin rallies in support of recreational cannabis in San Antonio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Democratic candidate Vikki Goodwin speaks to THC enthusiasts in San Antonio on Tuesday. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Vikki Goodwin, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, told attendees at a San Antonio rally that Texans \u2014 especially veterans and those with terminal illnesses \u2014 should have access to recreational weed.<\/p>\n

The Austin state rep\u2019s comments came during a pro-THC rally at the High Horse Ice House on Tuesday. Her position places her in sharp contrast with her opponent, incumbent Republican Dan Patrick, who\u2019s spent years blocking cannabis reform in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cDan wants to ban THC. I want to ban Dan,\u201d Goodwin said, drawing applause from the roughly 50 people attending her rally. <\/p>\n

Patrick, who sets the agenda for the Texas Senate, has fought for a statewide ban<\/a> on consumable cannabinoids such as delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10, even holding a 2025 press conference at the Texas Capitol where he described the products as \u201cpoison.\u201d<\/p>\n

During that same year\u2019s legislative session, Patrick championed the approval of Senate Bill 3<\/a>, which included an outright ban on most THC-containing products. However, Gov. Greg Abbott ultimately vetoed the proposal.<\/p>\n

Even so, a Texas Supreme Court decision in May \u2014\u00a0which Patrick supported \u2014 allowed the Texas Department of State Health Services to outlaw smokable cannabinoid products and most other THC-containing products except for low-dose delta-9 drinks and gummies.<\/p>\n

Goodwin said Patrick\u2019s repeated attempts to ban THC are hurting Texans and disregarding the medical benefits of cannabis.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy next door neighbor \u2014\u00a0most wonderful person ever \u2014\u00a0she died of cancer,\u201d Goodwin said. \u201cBut, before she died, a friend provided her something, a CBD product, and it helped her manage her pain. Why would we take that away? So, I am here to say that I am a supporter of the hemp industry. We need to regulate it. We need to have an age requirement of 21-plus. And we need to make sure it\u2019s packaged so that people know what they\u2019re putting in their bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Goodwin also spoke with the owners of Lazydaze Coffeeshop, a legal cannabinoid distributor on the St. Mary\u2019s Strip, about the struggles and uncertainty Patrick\u2019s ongoing policy battles have caused small businesses.<\/p>\n

Sarah Eckhardt, the Democratic candidate for comptroller running against Republican Don Huffines, also attended the San Antonio gathering.<\/p>\n

Eckhardt, also an Austin-area state senator, recalled that during her childhood, her mother, the progressive activist and author Nadine Eckhardt, grew pot in the backyard.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom, who was born in 1931, has been smoking pot most of her life,\u201d Eckhardt said of her mother, who died in 2018. \u201cMy mother, just like so many other Texans, for generations, has been utilizing marijuana for a number of totally laudable reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eckhardt continued: \u201cI thought Texans believed in independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Texas Politics Project poll<\/a> released Tuesday shows Goodwin leading Patrick by 3 percentage points.<\/p>\n

Early voting runs Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.<\/p>\n

Texas politics is a mess. We make it a readable mess.<\/p>\n

Sign up for San Antonio Current\u2019s new \u201cTexas Politics This Week\u201d newsletter.<\/p>\n

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