Your medical cannabis journey simplified: find partnered dispensaries, explore pricing options, earn rewards, and get answers to FAQs, all in one spot.
September 19, 2022 08:00 am ETEstimated Read Time: 4 Minutes
In a blow to freedom and democracy, state lawmakers in Texas banned smokeable hemp. In what many consider an equally heinous move, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the decision to ban smokeable hemp. Currently, residents of Texas make the trip to other neighboring states to buy cannabis, but many of them stay right in Texas and enjoy the benefits they get from hemp.
What’s the hangup with smokable hemp—and what does it mean for people in Texas? Did this happen because law enforcement can’t distinguish the difference between hemp and cannabis? Sadly, this wouldn’t be the first time that authorities mixed the two up. An okra farmer was raided in the middle of the night in Georgia in 2014. The Volunteer State attempted to prosecute Melody Cashion over cannabis and ended up wasting a lot of resources and taxpayers’ money in the long run, ultimately losing their case.
Hot Hemp and a History of Cannabis Issues
Hemp is a type of cannabis that contains very minuscule amounts of THC. In order for hemp to be legal in America, it must maintain a THC level no higher than 0.3%. If THC levels go higher than this, the crop is considered “hot” and is often destroyed to avoid legal ramifications.
Industrial hemp is rich in all the same cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes found in medical/recreational cannabis. After the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp became legal in America, but the way lawmakers are acting, you wouldn’t know it.
What Does the Smokable Hemp Ban in Texas Mean?
When you hear that smokable hemp has been banned in Texas, that is exactly what it means. Not only is smokable hemp banned in Texas, but so is the manufacturing, production, cultivation, and sale of it as well. When the Farm Bill passed in 2018, legalizing industrial hemp in America and removing it from the list of controlled substances, many people embraced it. Hemp cigarettes and smokable hemp flower have created a rather large industry in the state of Texas.
Apply For Your Medical Marijuana Card Today
Veriheal has satisfied hundreds of thousands of patients nationwide
Get approved or your money back
Appointments available on-demand
Customer support available 24/7
It wasn’t an easy path and most certainly was a bumpy road for smokable hemp in Texas. The Texas Supreme Court banned smokable hemp in 2019, shortly after the U.S. federal legalization of hemp. On Aug. 21, that decision was overturned by Travis County District Court.
On June 24, 2022, Texas Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey S. Boyd said, “Considering the long history of the state’s extensive efforts to prohibit and regulate the production, possession, and use of Cannabis sativa l plant, we conclude that the manufacturer and processing of smokable hemp products is neither a liberty interest nor a vested property interest that due course clause protects.”
This decision contradicts the Texas Constitution, which clearly states the right to engage in and pursue a lawful business or profession. Hemp is a legal crop in the United States of America, but companies like Wild Hemp of Dallas will now have to move out of state to operate legally. This is going to cost millions in tax revenue for Texas.
A Waste of Resources
Many people also view this as a waste of resources considering that the Texas-Mexico border has much bigger drug problems to worry about. And let’s not forget human trafficking. Now, authorities will have to worry about policing hemp along with keeping up the tight regulation of the state’s cannabis program.
So, no more smokable hemp in Texas—for now. And if you’re in the hemp business in the state of Texas, lawmakers want you to leave; your business is no longer wanted there. Make sure to follow Veriheal to keep up with updates on Texas’ cannabis policy.
Ashley Priest is a patient, mother, entrepreneur, and activist that fights to end prohibition globally for a better future for all. Ashley has a passion for sharing education pertaining to the goddess plant known as cannabis. She believes that a single seed can tip the scales and that together through education we can end the stigma that is preventing cannabis from flowering to its full potential globally.
Have you ever become so involved with an activity that you forget about about everything else? Did this leave you feeling like you were completely present or “in the zone”? In positive psychology, such experiences characterize a state known as “flow.” Flow is a cognitive state where a person is completely immersed in an activity,…
Navigating the laws on traveling with medical marijuana (MMJ) is incredibly confusing with the current global stance on cannabis. In the U.S., some states are okay with you bringing your medicine with you as long as you can prove your patient status, while other states are staunchly against it altogether, leaving MMJ patients in a…
Cannabis edibles are a preferred method of consuming cannabis by both retail consumers and medical cannabis patients alike. But just how long do they last? Let’s explore the shelf life of edibles, how to store them, and what to do if they go bad. What Are Edibles? Common Types of Edibles How Long Do Edibles…
People have been smoking joints for a long time. The first rolling papers surfaced around the early 1500s in Alcoy, Spain. These weren’t like the rolling papers we know today though. To start, these papers were intended for tobacco, not cannabis. They were made of hemp along with other textiles and lacked an adhesive gum…
Just in time for the holidays, the Jet Lag strain brings a smoking experience completely different than what the name suggests. Jet Lag is an energizing sativa that settles into a creative, silly high. And for an anxious flower-lover like me, this strain was the first step in my journey to finding the perfect cannabis…
We use our own as well as third party cookies to improve your site experience and the services we make available. You can learn more about our use of cookies in our Privacy Policy.
Content Disclamer
The statements made regarding cannabis products on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cannabis is not an FDA-approved substance and is still illegal under federal law. The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. We strongly recommend that you consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabis products. The use of any information provided on this website is solely at your own risk.